A beautifully sunny but bitterly cold Rodney Parade played host to a crucial bottom of the table six pointer between Newport County and Yeovil Town.
Newport were coming off the back of their 4-1 FA Cup replay win over Brackley Town whereas Yeovil had a 2-2 draw with Stevenage last weekend and hadn’t played in midweek.
It was a fast start to the game as both sides had early chances, Yeovil hit the bar 5 minutes in before Lenell-John Lewis nearly gave County the lead but he was unable to get enough power on his shot.
The early chances soon dried up, and it was on eighteen minutes that Zak Ansah managed to fire a shot at goal, after the ball bobbled around the box, but his shot was straight at Chris Weale in the Yeovil goal.
Zak Ansah had another chance to put the home side in front when he shot from 20 yards, but the keeper had it covered and was able to see the ball bounce wide.
With just five minutes to go in the first half Newport got their first corner of the game. Matt Partridge was unlucky not to divert the ball into the top corner of the net as he, Scot Bennett and two Yeovil defenders all collapsed in a heap in the six yard box.
The game was slow with few chances, but it was Newport who had the better ones yet they were unable to do anything with the ball and make the most of their limited chances.
The first half concluded again with few chances, a few wayward shots for either side, but nothing that challenged either goalkeeper. Newport would be disappointed at half-time that they weren’t in the lead, but this relegation six pointer remained goalless at half time.
HALF TIME: NEWPORT COUNTY 0 – 0 YEOVIL TOWN
Yeovil had the first chance of the second half when Ryan Bird found himself in the penalty area, but he fired his shot well wide of the post, not troubling Day. Newport had early chances as well though and Scott Barrow was denied by a great point blank save from six yards out after he was left alone at the back post.
The second-half much like the first did not contain many clear cut chances. Newport still had the better of the limited chances, but were unable to get past the deep Yeovil defence as the game reached the hour mark and a delay was forced, as Alex Lacey got a nasty boot to the face from John-Lewis, causing a two minute stoppage.
With 20 minute to go in the game Mark Byrne had a great chance to open the scoring, as he was fed the ball on the edge of the area, but his shot on the turn went screaming just wide of the far post.
With fifteen minutes to go Byrne did really well to find Andrew Hughes 20 yards out to fire one at goal left footed but his shot was always rising and failed to trouble Weale in the Yeovil goal.
Newport were the utterly dominant side in the final fifteen minutes of the game with numerous corners and several chances which were scrambled clear in the six yard box.
FULL TIME: NEWPORT COUNTY 0 – 0 YEOVIL TOWN
Day, Barrow (O’Sullivan 81’), Elito, Ansah (Boden 67’), John-Lewis, Hughes, Benett, Partridge, Rodman (Klukowski 90’), Barnum-Bobb, Byrne (c)Newport County:
Green, Holmes, Taylor, CollinsSubs not used:
Weale, Tozer, Smith (c), Dolan, Bird (Dickson 76’), Fogden, Lacey, Cornick (Jeffers 87’), Roberts, Ward, Zoko (Thomas 67’)Yeovil Town:
Krysiak, Thomas, Beck, SheehanSubs not used:
Mark HeywoodReferee:
3084 (Away 460)Attendance: