Caldicot Town 2 – 0 Newport City

Newport City continued their dreadful run of form in the league as they endured their fifth successive defeat following a 2-0 loss against Caldicot Town.

Dealing with the hot weather was a mission for both teams, with the game proving to be a cagey affair during the opening exchanges. The hosts registered the first meaningful chance of the game, with Adam Vine witnessing his curling strike from inside the area smack off the crossbar. The Steelmen responded in kind as Gareth Hole saw his back heeled effort drift inches wide of the left post, while Aaron Tyner sent an optimistic 30 yard chip over the bar.

Caldicot gradually took control of the game and almost scored through Mathew James; the defender however side footed an effort from a corner delivery just over the bar. The hosts’ pressure did eventually pay off soon after as they took the lead in the 38th minute. The goal came after the Steelmen failed to clear their lines, leading to James delivering a cross into the area where Samuel Watkins powered a looping header into the top left hand corner.

Buoyed by the goal, Caldicot almost doubled their lead soon after. A long upfield ball found Luke Evans inside the area, leading to the attacker sending a volley narrowly over the bar. The hosts did however score their second goal in first half stoppage time, leaving City with a mountain the climb. The goal came following another cross by James into the area, where Tyrone Tucker-Dixon struck a sweetly taken volley into the right hand corner.

There was still time for the Steelmen to try to pull a goal back before the interval, as Liam Head saw a low strike inside the 6 yard box blocked by Caldicot keeper Matthew Sandiford. The Steelmen came even closer soon after when a free kick delivery into the six yard box found the unmarked Martyn Mickiewicz; the defender however toe poked the ball wide past the right hand post.

HT 0-2

City restarted the game strongly; and had several opportunities to claw their way back into the game during the second half. Both Head and Ben Taylor saw goal bound efforts deflect narrowly wide, while Mickiewicz also powered a header wide past the right post when unmarked during a corner delivery. The Steelmen continued to ramp up the pressure as Hole and Dean Clifford both witnessed their threatening strikes whistle inches wide, while Head was also once again denied by Sandiford.

The hosts eventually weathered the storm and almost trebled their lead three times through Tucker-Dixon; however the attacker was smartly denied by City keeper Marcel Nzarora on each occasion. The Steelmen came close to registering a consolation goal in stoppage time, but they were left frustrated once again as Aladje Sani sent a header just wide from a corner delivery.

City were ultimately made to suffer another dismal result as they remain pointless and rooted to the bottom of the league table.

FT 0-2

Newport City Line-Up:

Nzarora, Tyner (Sub: Fortt), Flynn (Sub: Wigley), Francombe, Mickiewicz, Wood (C), Price, Hole, Clifford, Taylor, Head (Sub: Sani)

Unused subs – Pateev, Rodrigues