Newport County return to action on Tuesday evening (7:30pm) as they welcome Salford City to Rodney Parade for their next Sky Bet League Two fixture.
The Exiles head into the clash looking to bounce back after suffering their first league defeat of the season last time out, when a late goal against Grimsby Town denied them a share of the points. Facing a strong Salford side, Newport will be eager to respond and get back to winning ways in front of their home supporters.
Opposition Focus
Salford City head to South Wales on Tuesday evening in good form, having won back-to-back league matches. The Ammies currently sit just outside the play-off positions in eighth place, level on points with Swindon Town and Walsall but trailing both on goal difference.
Last season, Salford came agonisingly close to securing a first-ever promotion to Sky Bet League One, finishing eighth and just a single point behind Chesterfield in the final play-off spot. That narrow miss has only fuelled the determination within Karl Robinson’s squad, with summer signings underlining the club’s clear intent to push for promotion this time around.
Among the new arrivals, former Cardiff City winger Kadeem Harris has caught the eye with one goal and one assist in his first four appearances, while 25-year-old defender Adebola Oluwo has slotted seamlessly into the back line after arriving from a Barnet side that conceded just 38 goals in a 102-point title-winning National League campaign.
Head-to-Head
Newport County and Salford City share a relatively short history, with their first meeting coming in the 2019-20 season, when the Ammies claimed a 2-1 victory. Since then, the two clubs have faced off 13 times, with Salford holding the upper hand thanks to seven wins, while the Exiles have managed just two victories. The remaining four encounters have ended in draws.
Despite the overall record favouring Salford, Newport will take confidence from last season’s results. The Exiles picked up a win and a draw, marking the first time they had avoided defeat against Salford across an entire campaign. Building on that momentum, they will be eager to further tilt the balance in their favour this time around.
Memorable Encounter
One of the standout meetings between the two clubs came in the 2019-20 FA Cup second round, when Newport County swept aside Salford City with a commanding 3-0 victory at Rodney Parade.
After a cagey first half, the game turned early in the second when Brandon Thomas-Asante was shown a red card for a challenge on goalkeeper Tom King. Newport quickly took advantage, breaking the deadlock through Jamie Proctor, who rose to head home a Robbie Willmott cross.
Midway through the half, the Exiles doubled their lead after Scott Twine was brought down in the box. Substitute Padraig Amond stepped up and coolly converted the penalty with his first involvement. The result was put beyond doubt late on when Saikou Janneh finished off a swift counter-attack, rifling the ball into the top corner to seal Newport’s first-ever win over Salford.
Shared Shirts
Tom King joined Newport County from Millwall ahead of the 2019-20 season and went on to make 52 appearances across two years with the club. During his time at Rodney Parade, the Welsh goalkeeper wrote his name into the record books by scoring the longest goal ever recorded in a professional match—a remarkable strike from 105 yards against Cheltenham Town, beating a record previously held by former Chelsea goalkeeper, Asmir Begovic.
Reflecting on the moment, King admitted: "I didn't even know how to celebrate, and I apologized to the other goalkeeper after the game...it's not nice to be on the other end of it."
After leaving Newport, King signed for Salford City on a free transfer, where he made 64 appearances for the Ammies. More recently, he departed Wolverhampton Wanderers and joined Everton, where he now provides cover for England No.1 Jordan Pickford.
Shane McLoughlin spent half a season at Salford City after joining on a free from Morecambe and made 11 appearances in the second half of the 2022-23 season.
The Irishman left Salford to join Newport County where he went on to make 82 appearances and scored nine goals in his two seasons with the Exiles. McLoughlin even captained Newport in parts of last season, filling in for the absent Aaron Wildig and James Clarke. The midfielder left South Wales this summer to join fellow League Two side Cambridge United.
