Unbeaten run at four
Newport looked for their fourth win in a row as they welcomed Accrington Stanley to Rodney Parade on a windy Saturday afternoon. The first half started slowly with very few chances generated for either side but it was the visitors who created the first real opportunity of the game when Lee Molyneux saw his shot sail high and wide of Joe Day’s left hand post six minutes in.
Newport created several chances throughout the half but were unable to convert any of them. After ten minutes Zebroski saw his shot claimed comfortably by Jorenen in the Stanley goal and on the half hour mark O’Connor had his deflected header brushed past the right hand post keeping the scores level.
Just two minutes later Chris Zebroski picked the ball up on the left edge of the penalty area but his shot curled past the far post after he skilfully cut inside onto his right foot. County were awarded a free kick in a promising position following a lunging challenge from Nicky Hunt 30 yards out but Sandell’s left footed curler was easily saved by Jesse Jorenen.
The only booking of the half came on 41 minutes when Curtis Obeng was shown yellow for his challenge on Nicky Hunt. Newport finished the half the stronger of the two sides with several chances coming in the last five minutes of the half. Firstly O’Connor’s looping header was caught under the crossbar and then an in swinging corner delivered from the left fell to Darren Jones but his shot was blocked on the line as Accrington frantically cleared their lines to keep the score deadlocked at half time.
HALF TIME: NEWPORT COUNTY 0-0 ACCRINGTON STANLEY
It was Accrington that came out after the break the stronger of the two sides with McCarten firing wide on 55 minutes and then Luke Joyce forced a good save out of Day in the Newport goal just a few minutes later as he tipped over the 25 yard effort.
The deadlock was broken just after the hour mark when Sean Maguire broke towards the by-line and fired a low driven shot across the face of goal from a tight angle which found its way through a crowd of bodies and into the corner of the net to give Accrington the lead.
They continued to pile pressure onto the County net and scored again six minutes later through Carver but his effort was ruled out for offside after the ball rebounded back off the post. Only a couple of minutes later Day was forced into another good save after McCarten cut inside and drove a hard right footed shot towards goal but Day was equal to the effort and was able to punch it clear.
Newport were back on even terms with twenty minutes to go after Joe Pigott curled a terrific right footed shot from twenty five yards that found the top right corner of the goal beyond the reaching gloves of the Stanley keeper. The goal sparked an extra burst into the players and the fans and County went in search of a winner as the rain came down during the last ten minutes but they were unable to do so and the game finished all square moving Newport into the playoff positions in seventh.
FULL TIME: NEWPORT COUNTY 1-1 ACCRINGTON STANLEY