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MATCH REPORTS: Newport County vs Hungerford Town friendlies

9 July 2022

Club News

MATCH REPORTS: Newport County vs Hungerford Town friendlies

9 July 2022

Newport County secured a pair of 3-0 wins over Hungerford across two hour-long games on Saturday afternoon, as the Exiles recorded a 6-0 score line over the course of the 120 minutes.

James Clarke, Will Evans and Chanka Zimba found the net over the first hour, while Jack Karadogan, James Waite and Omar Bogle scored in the second set of 60 minutes.

GAME ONE

County were on the front foot immediately, with our first effort of the game coming after just three minutes as Will Evans saw his strike from the left of the box well kept out by the Hungerford keeper.

Newport didn't have to wait long for the opener though, as James Clarke headed home Sam Bowen's corner to make it 1-0 on eight minutes. 

The Newport pressure continued a minute later with a loose pass from Hungerford back to the keeper being seized upon by Bowen who had his attempt deflected wide by a recovering defender.

Lewis Collins and Chanka Zimba would both have shots kept out while Nick Townsend remained untroubled until just after halfway.

Four minutes after a 30-minute drinks break and change of ends, Townsend needed to be at full stretch to deny a half-volley from 20 yards out to keep his sheet clean impressively.

Newport sprung straight back up the other end with Collins backheeling for Zimba who had his attempt saved before Bowen struck wide. 

County looked set to make it 2-0 on 45 minutes, but Aaron Wildig was cynically fouled on the edge of the box when clean through on goal, with Hungerford thanking the fact it was a pre-season friendly to save them from going down to 10. Matt Dolan saw his free-kick deflected wide.

It was 2-0 in the 49th minute through with Collins' cross from the right picking out Evans who knocked in a side-foot volley at the far post for his second of pre-season.

Zimba netted Newport's third five minutes from time with a powerful shot into the bottom left corner from the edge of the area. 

Game One XI: Nick Townsend, James Clarke, Matt Dolan (C), Joe Woodiwiss, Aaron Lewis, Sam Bowen, Robbie Willmott, Aaron Wildig, Will Evans, Chanka Zimba, Lewis Collins (Lewys Twamley '50)

GAME TWO

Much like the first set of XI, County started at a breakneck speed with James Waite having a curled effort from the edge of the box well kept out by the Hungerford keeper with just two minutes played.

Jack Karadogan did make it 1-0 as early as the fifth minute though with a composed finish under pressure from the keeper after he found space in the Hungerford box.

Omar Bogle, playing his first friendly as an Exile, headed Cameron Norman's cross narrowly over the bar not long after and mere seconds later he had a shot from the edge of the area held.

Waite made it 2-0 in the 12th minute though with a close-range finish on a rebound after Offrande Zanzala's shot was only parried into the path of Waite who made no mistake for his third goal of pre-season. 

Zanzala came close again on the 20-minute mark after using a step-over to flick away from an opposition defender before striking a shot across the face of goal and wide from the left of the box. 

Waite had an opening for his second and County's third after the attacking midfielder broke after we defended a corner. Waite ran half the length of the pitch before shooting over the bar.

County did get their third through latest signing Bogle who brought the ball down impressively before lashing a strike in off the underside of the bar in the 48th minute. 

Zanzala would have the final chance of the afternoon after riding a couple of challenges before seeing his effort parried behind.


Game Two XI: Joe Day, Harrison Bright, Declan Drysdale, Mickey Demetriou (C), Cameron Norman, Scot Bennett, Jack Karadogan, James Waite, Adam Lewis, Omar Bogle (Kiban Rai '49), Offrande Zanzala


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