Newport City 1 – 0 Monmouth Town

Newport City continued 2023 in fine form by securing their second successive victory, following a superb display against Monmouth Town. The game was once again played in front of a packed ground, as City continued life under the Nexgen ownership on a positive note.

The visitors initially started strongly during the early stages; and came very close to opening the scoring. Jake Bevan was sent clean through on goal, but was denied by City keeper Marcel Nzarora who superbly tipped the former’s low goal bound strike on to the post.

The save seemed to spark the Steelmen into life as they eventually grabbed control of the game; and relentlessly peppered the opposition goal. Monmouth keeper Daniel Keane was repeatedly kept busy, as he produced a number of saves from Rhyse Hudson and Gareth Hole. James Hill also threatened with a powering header from a corner, but saw his effort hit the side netting.

City continued to pile the pressure as both Hudson and Hole fired gilt edged opportunities narrowly wide of goal, while Taylor Rees-Zammit saw his goal bound header deflect inches past the right post. From the following corner, Steelmen skipper Martin Mickiewicz came even closer when his header was agonisingly blocked off the goal line.

HT 0-0

The Steelmen continued to dominate following the break; and almost scored straight away after Dean Clifford saw his dipping corner delivery skim the top of the bar. Hole then found himself well placed inside the six yard box, but his low strike was frustratingly deflected out for a corner.

Hudson came close with a threatening strike across the face of goal, as the ball drifted inches past the right post. Ethan Wynne spurned a glorious opportunity as he blasted an effort over the bar from five yards out, while Clifford struck a free kick narrowly over the bar. Hill also wasted a presentable chance as he headed over the bar when unmarked inside the 6 yard box following a corner.

City were almost made to pay for their missed opportunities, as Monmouth started to threaten during the final 20 minutes. A rare attack from the visitors saw Elliott Ford played clean through on goal; his chipped effort was however crucially grasped by Nzarora. Monmouth were then handed a golden chance to win the game in the 80th minute as Mickiewicz was adjudged to have fouled Ford inside the area, leading to a penalty being awarded. The resulting spot kick by Ford was however saved by Nzarora, while the rebound was fired wide past the left post by Bevan.

City weathered the storm and were rewarded for their resilience when they eventually broke the deadlock in the 88th minute. The goal came following a nice passage of play between Hudson, Joe Cashman and Spencer Wood, leading to Clifford being played through on goal and firing a low finish   into the bottom left corner.

Buoyed by the goal, the Steelmen almost doubled their lead as Kareen Leigh sent a couple of threatening opportunities narrowly wide. The Steelmen did eventually manage to successfully hold on to the lead; and clinched another vital victory which lifts them into 14th place.

FT 1-0

Newport City Line-Up:

Nzarora, Cashman, Mickiewicz, Corten, Rees-Zammit, Westhead, Hudson (Sub: Francombe), Wynne, Hole (Sub: Wood), Clifford (Sub: Taylor), Hill (Sub: Leigh)

Unused subs – Wigley