Newport County were defeated 3-2 this afternoon in the first Severnside Derby of the 2025-26 Sky Bet League Two campaign.
Following a quiet first half, Luke Thomas put the Gas ahead from close range and made it a brace just moments later.
Ellis Harrison rose highest to head in Bristol's third with just under 20 minutes to go.
Kai Whitmore's unstoppable volley gave Newport Momentum and Nathanial Opoku tapped in the Exiles' second to claim a goal and an assist on his debut.
The first chance of the match fell to Ciaran Brennan who thundered a volley towards goal, but Bristol’s Bradley Young was able to the parry the effort out of danger.
Jack Sparkes picked up the ball on the edge of Newport’s box and tried his luck from range, but the full-backs effort sailed over the bar.
Bristol Rovers were on the attack again as Southam-Hales looked to cut the ball across to Fabrizio Cavegn, but Nik Tzanev did well to cut out the chance.
Newport responded with their own chance as Lee Jenkins’ deep cross found Michael Reindorf but the Cardiff loanee was unable to control the ball.
Half-Time
Almost immediately after the start of the second half, Bobby Kamwa had the ball in the back of the net but made is run a fraction too early and was caught offside.
Just moments later Bristol Rovers broke the deadlock as Thomas is quickest to react to Tzanev’s save and fired the ball at Antony Glennon who couldn’t block it off the line.
At the 60th minute the Gas doubled their lead as Tzanev was caught on the ball and could only clear it as far as Thomas, who tucked the ball into the bottom corner to claim his brace.
The Gas had another chance not long later as the ball was cut back to Cavegn, but the attacker put it wide from close range.
Bristol Rovers found their third as Alfie Chang’s cross found Harrison at the back post, who headed past Tzanev.
The Exiles got one back with just over 10 minutes to go as debutant Opoku found Whitmore free in the box and the Welshman rifled his volley into the top corner of the Gas’ net.
Newport County scored their second in the 88th minute as the ball was cut back to Opoku who slotted the ball home to claim his debut goal.
Full-Time
Starting XI – Tzanev, Jenkins, Clarke (C), Baker, Glennon, Ogunneye, Brennan, Evans, Braybrooke, Reindorf, Kamwa
Subs – Wright, Thomas, Antwi, Whitmore, Spellman, Garner, Opoku
On
Whitmore
Opoku
Spellman
Antwi
Garner
Off
Baker
Evans
Reindorf
Braybrooke
Brennan
Attendance – 5305 (1037 away)