The Memorial Ground hosts a vital relegation clash between Bristol Rovers and Newport County in EFL League Two this Saturday (31/01).
Across 71 matches, both sides have won 27 games, and 17 have ended in draws.
Ahead of the huge fixture, here’s a Famous Five wins for The Exiles against their English opposition...
Bristol Rovers 3-4 Newport County | 21st January 1922
The first time Newport County beat Bristol Rovers, and what turned out to be a very important result for the Welsh side.
Harry Parkes had garnered six wins from the ongoing Third Division South season, but Newport were in danger of finishing in the bottom two.
An eventful game at the old Eastville Stadium ensued, with a seven-goal thriller going the way of the visitors; Jack Lythgoe and Charlie Brittan both bagging braces in front of 8,000.
In a division that contained Swansea, Merthyr, and even Aberdare Athletic, Newport finished 20th out of 22, above Exeter City on goal difference, and stayed in the league as a result.
Newport County 2-0 Bristol Rovers | 9th October 1982
1982-83 remains the highest-placed season in Newport County history, and things were already on a roll by the time this fixture came around.
Four wins from their eight opening fixtures had put County on a firm footing in their third season in the Third Division.
A year after their European exploits, Colin Addison was aiming for an unheralded promotion to the second-tier.
When The Gas came to Somerton Park, goals from Nigel Vaughan and Tommy Tynan fired Newport to victory – they would also go on to win the reverse fixture 3-1 the following February.
Despite sitting top of the table at Easter, Newport ultimately lost five of their final seven and missed out on promotion, finishing 4th. Bristol Rovers were three points behind in seventh-place.
Newport County 3-0 Bristol Rovers | 7th September 1985
Somerton Park held some wonders for Newport in this fixture, and their last triumph there came at the halfway mark of the 1980s.
Rovers had already knocked County out of the League Cup over two legs, despite Newport winning the home game.
But Newport, then under the stewardship of Bobby Smith, had already beaten current Premier League teams Bournemouth and Wolves in the league.
Leighton James, Gordon Staniforth and Steve Dowman delivered the hammer blows, but a torrid winless run meant The Exiles would have to wait until December for their next league success.
Both sides petered out, with Newport finishing 19th and Bristol Rovers 16th.
Newport County 1-0 Bristol Rovers | 17th August 2013
Newport’s footballing exile had seen a 26-year-gap between meetings, with 1987 being the last game between the two before this one.
The modern-day Newport County had tasted defeated in the EFL for the first time the previous weekend, going down 3-1 at Northampton Town.
Conversely, Rovers were searching for a first win after a mid-table finish in League Two the previous season.
A penalty from Andy Sandell clinched it for County, who would go on to have a productive season back in the big time, finishing 14th.
Worse was to come for the Rovers, as they finished 23rd on goal difference and were consigned to non-league football for the first time in their history.
Bristol Rovers 1-3 Newport County | 23rd October 2021
The last time Newport won across the Severn, and the first game under the management James Rowberry.
Newport were only three points outside the play-off spots, aided by an unbeaten run of four games ahead of the new appointment.
Joey Barton’s Bristol Rovers had a more checkered record, but were still two points behind their counterparts beforehand.
Despite an early injury for Matty Dolan, a double from Dominic Telford and a Courtney Baker-Richardson effort gave a perfect start for the new boss.
However, the fortunes of both had reversed by the end of the season: Newport, in the frame for promotion throughout of the season, missed out on a play-off spot, whilst Bristol Rovers snuck into 3rd on the final day and went up to League One automatically.
