In our latest series of articles, we will be taking a look back at the 2019-2020 season in more detail as we look at each match and review our season month by month.
After a promising start in August, County began their Leasing.com Trophy journey in September with their first game against West Ham U21s in Group E of the competition.
Forward Padraig Amond had a prolific August but his strike partners Jamille Matt and Tristan Abrahams were yet to hit the net.
Newport County 4-5 West Ham U21s – Rodney Parade (September 4, 2019) – Leasing.com Trophy
County suffered their second defeat of the season in their first game of the EFL Trophy in a nine-goal thriller against West Ham’s U21 side. The Exiles were 4-1 up at half time thanks to Tristan Abrahams, Corey Whitely, Lewis Collins and Ryan Hillier but a stunning comeback from the visitors saw the Hammers leave South Wales with all three points.
Team: Townsend; Leadbitter (C), Ekpiteta, Howkins, Jefferies, Watts, Dolan (Evans 46), Maloney, Collins (Innis 59), Whitely, Abrahams (Hillier 22)
Newport County 1-0 Port Vale – Rodney Parade (September 7, 2019)
The Exiles returned to league action and picked up from where they left off in August. Substitute Jamille Matt netted his first goal of the season in the 77th minute to grab the win against the Stoke-on-Trent side. Daniel Leadbitter made his league debut and contributed to another impressive defensive performance from County as they grabbed their sixth clean sheet of the season.
Team: King; Leadbitter (Whitely 75), O’Brien, Inniss, Haynes, Labadie (C) (Matt 62), Dolan, Willmott, Sheehan, Abrahams (Howkins 90), Amond
Northampton Town 2-0 Newport County – Sixfields (September 14, 2019)
County suffered their first league loss of the season after a 2-0 defeat to Northampton Town at Sixfields. It proved to be a difficult afternoon for the Exiles as Andy Williams and Sam Hoskins ended County’s 17-match unbeaten run in the league. Substitute Jamille Matt was also shown two yellow cards in the space of five minutes towards the end of the game on a day to forget for the Exiles.
Team: King; McNamara (Poleon 75), Howkins, O’Brien, Haynes, Sheehan, Willmott, Dolan (Whitely 63), Labadie (C), Abrahams, Amond (Matt 63)
Macclesfield Town 1-1 Newport County – Moss Rose (September 17, 2019)
On a cold Tuesday night in Cheshire, Padraig Amond netted his first goal of the month in the first minute of the game against the Silkmen to take his tally to six for the season. However, former Exile Emmanuel Osadebe equalised after 20 minutes as both sides shared the “unsponsored derby” trophy.
Team: King; McNamara, Howkins, O’Brien, Haynes, Bennett (Dolan 71), Sheehan, Labadie (C),Abrahams (Poleon 89), Amond, Willmott
Newport County 1-1 Exeter City – Rodney Parade (September 21, 2019)
Table-toppers Exeter City were the visitors at Rodney Parade in this 1-1 draw. Lee Martin gave the Grecians the lead after 15 minutes but Tristan Abrahams stepped up in the 64th minute to slot home a penalty for his first goal of the season after Josh Sheehan was brought down in the area. In truth, County were unlucky not to take all three points from this game.
Team: King; O’Brien, Howkins, Bennett, Willmott, Sheehan, Labadie (C), Haynes, Whitely (Poleon 79’),Amond (Abrahams 45’), Matt (Dolan 75’)
Swindon Town 0-2 Newport County – County Ground (September 28, 2019)
An away day to remember for County fans, it was a brilliant display from the Exiles against fellow play-off chasing Swindon Town at the County Ground. Goals from Mark O’Brien and Jamille Matt sent the travelling fans into pandemonium as County ended September in 6th place and comfortably in the play-off places.
Team: King, McNamara, Howkins, O’Brien, Haynes, Bennett, Willmott, Sheehan, Labadie (C) (Dolan 88), Matt, Abrahams (Amond 72)
Top scorer(s) in September:
Jamille Matt & Tristan Abrahams - 2
Article Series by Jay Bayford and Dylan Scarborough