Saturday 25 January 2002 - Newport Stadium - kick off 3.00pm Dr Martens Premier Division

Having scored twice in City's last outing at Folkestone it was no surprise that Frankie Bennett retained his unfamiliar front running role with fit-again Paul Milsom having to settle for a place on the bench. However, it was City's number one who was the early star for the black and whites stripes. Twice in the opening three minutes Newport found themselves goalside of City's static rearguard only for Mark Bryant to produce vital blocks. Shephard and Rose were the players presented with clear sight of the goal only to hang their heads in stunned disbelief at Bryant's heroics. Shephard also blasted a 10th minute chance narrowly wide but having weathered this storm City began to push their hosts back. Initial forays forward were defended well by the Exiles defence until on 25 minutes when they had no answer to a incisive passing move. A surging burst by Andy Williams took him past several markers before exchanging passes with Jamie Gosling to send the midfielder beyond the last defender. He could have shot himself but chose to square the ball to Bennett and he turned it home from six yards out. City were now clearly in the ascendancy with Bennett and Williams constantly troubling County. Ironically though the closest they came to increasing their lead in this period was from a Stuart James corner that would have curled straight in but for Benton's goalline headed clearance. With five minutes remaining to the interval against the run of play Newport levelled. Substitute Plant was give far too much space wide left and his low shot found the net via a post. Bennett almost restored City's lead before the break, Mountain moving quickly off his line to block his effort.

After the break City were forced into making two changes, flu sufferer Drew Shore was replaced by Milsom and injured Mike Trought by Gary Thorne. This had little effect on the game as City continued were they left off in the first half. Milsom almost capped his arrival with a strike on goal - Thomas blocking this attempt - after 52 minutes before Gosling forced another smart save out of Mountain with a rising left foot shot. Hesitant defending from Rose nearly let in Bennett again before the hour mark only for Mountain to save with his legs. Newport had shown next to nothing as an attacking force up to then but just after the hour Rose's pass sent Shephard racing clear. He looked odds-on to score only for Bryant to stand up to the striker and, when he finally shot, block the effort with his body. The game now appeared to be swinging back to the home side. Davis's deflected shot was gratefully grabbed by Bryant and only a series of excellent tackles prevented further opportunities falling to County players. Twice in the last few minutes Shephard did find himself in a shooting position but again Bryant was more than equal to the end result and his efforts secured a creditable and deserved draw.