As Newport County prepare to face Chesterfield once again, we take a look back at five memorable home victories against the Spireites.
From the immediate post-war years at Somerton Park, through landmark moments in the Football League and into the modern era at Rodney Parade, meetings between the two sides have produced goals, drama and defining moments across generations.
Here are five Famous Five wins for County at home to Chesterfield.
Newport County 3-0 Chesterfield | 22nd March 1947
For Newport County’s first victory over Chesterfield, we must go back to just two years after the Second World War ended.
Both sides were playing in the Second Division following a temporary regional split in the post-War season, with Newport promoted in 1938 and resuming their permanent league status at the beginning of 1946-47.
Manager Tom Bromilow had overseen a then league record 13-0 loss to Newcastle United earlier that season, but the outcome here was very different: Frank Rawcliffe, Danny Newall and Eddie Carr sending them to a comprehensive win.
Despite their best efforts, County would end up relegated at the end of the season, alongside compatriots Cardiff City, whilst Chesterfield finished an impressive 4th in the table.
Newport County 5-1 Chesterfield | 28th February 1981
The 1980-81 season will go down as one of the most eventful in Newport County history, and this result is a perfect reflection of why.
After promotion from the fourth-tier the previous year, Len Ashurst and his side acquitted themselves well with the jump up, finishing a solid 12th-place in the league.
This was also the season of their famous European Cup Winners’ Cup appearance, in which they made the Quarter-Finals and narrowly missed out on the next phase against Carl Zeiss Jena.
Meanwhile, their opponents flirted with promotion themselves, missing out by three points and finishing fifth.
Chesterfield won the return fixture 3-2 the previous September, but found themselves outgunned by an enthralling Exiles performance, with Tommy Tynan (twice), Dave Gwyther, Keith Oakes and Steve Lowndes all on the scoresheet.
Newport County 1-0 Chesterfield | 8th March 1987
The final encounter between these two in Newport’s previous guise saw a ray of light in an otherwise dispiriting season for County.
Player-manager Jimmy Mullen had departed the club just three days before this game, with a 5-2 defeat at Notts County leaving them dead last in the Third Division.
Taking the reigns was another player in the form of John Lewis, the Tredegar-born lad with 140 games at Cardiff City before his move to Somerton Park in 1983.
In his first game in charge, a goal from Roy Carter – signed from Torquay United that winter – gave The Exiles a rare league triumph.
Newport would only win two more games that season and finished bottom of the league, losing their Football League status the following season.
Newport County 3-2 Chesterfield | 1st December 2013
The long road back for Newport saw them regain their Football League status in 2013, and a milestone moment came with their first victory against Chesterfield at Rodney Parade.
Justin Edinburgh’s side looked impressive throughout their debut campaign, with just four defeats in their first 19 games.
A frantic match saw Danny Crow, Adam Chapman (from the penalty spot) and Andy Sandell all net for the hosts, as Chesterfield missed out on the chance to end top of the table.
Chesterfield would, however, get the last laugh, finishing as champions and securing promotion, whilst County ended in 14th-place.
Newport County 4-1 Chesterfield | 26th August 2017
Chesterfield came into this one from their League One relegation the previous season, whilst Newport had just completed their ‘Great Escape’ act from the dotted line.
The Amber Army blew away their visitors, despite the away team being in front at half-time: a hat-trick from Frank Nouble, aided by a Padraig Amond strike, saw them ease away in front of a crowd over 4,000.
It was merely a sign of things to come for Chesterfield: they finished bottom of the league and suffered a second successive relegation, this time to non-league football.
