Newport City 4 – 3 Brecon Corries

Newport City secured their second successive win following a seven goal thriller against Brecon Corries at the Newport Stadium, in a game played in blustery wet conditions.

The opening ten minutes was initially a low key affair, but the game however exploded into life two minutes later following an extraordinary goal by City debutant George Jenkins. The goal came when a long ball by Jenkins from the halfway line was inexplicitly misjudged by Brecon keeper Declan Gaydon. The keeper saw the ball bounce over him inside the area, as it eventually landed into the back of the net. Buoyed by the goal, City almost doubled their lead through Dean Clifford who saw his close range strike palmed over the bar by Gaydon.

The visitors eventually weathered the storm; and almost equalised when Joel Evans saw his header from a corner cleared off the goal line by Spencer Wood. Brecon were however eventually rewarded for the persistence; and levelled in the 34th minute when Andrew Hammett struck a free kick from edge of the area into the bottom right corner.

The Steelmen however responded superbly as they restored their lead just three minutes later. The goal came when a cross into the area by Rhyse Hudson reached the far post, where Ethan Wynne was on hand to slide the ball in from a yard out. Boosted by goal, City almost extended their lead  when Hudson saw his strike from just inside the area whistle inches wide of the left post. Gareth Hole also came close shortly before the interval; as the attacker saw his goal bound effort from edge of area blocked by Corey Evans.

HT 2-1

City restarted the game disastrously as Brecon levelled the score courtesy of a second goal by Hammett, who tucked in from close range in the 47th minute. Boosted by the goal, the visitors almost instantly scored again through Hammett, who curled a shot narrowly wide of the right post. Brecon were however eventually rewarded for their pressure, as they went in front in the 53rd minute. The goal came as City struggled to clear a corner, leading to Joel Evans heading in from a cross inside the area.   

Shellshocked by the visitors’ blistering restart, the Steelmen responded strongly as they tried to claw their way back into the game. Hudson came close to levelling, as he saw his close range effort grasped at the near post by Gaydon. Hudson did however equalise for the hosts on the hour mark, as he converted a nice placed finish into the bottom left-hand corner from inside area.

Buoyed by the goal, City took full control as they thew the kitchen sink at Brecon. A Clifford strike was palmed across the face of goal by Gaydon, before the former smacked the post seconds later. The ball immediately rebounded to Wynne, who saw his strike cleared off the goal line. Hudson then broke free down right channel before crossing into area where Clifford was unmarked, but latter agonisingly fired over from 6 yards out.

The Steelmen were thankfully not made to rue the misses as they finally went in front again in the 81st minute. The goal came thanks to a well taken volley by Martin Mickiewicz from the edge of area, in what turned out to be the match winner.

Brecon tried in vain to grab an equaliser in in stoppage time; and had a flurry of threatening set pieces. City, however, stood firm and manged to seal another vital victory as they steadily climb their way up the league table.

FT 4-3

Newport City Line-Up:

T Wood, S.Wood, Corten (Sub: Wigley), Jenkins, Mickiewicz, Wynne, Hudson, Westhead, Clifford (Sub: Taylor), Hole (Sub: Harrison), Kaplan

Subs not used – Price, Joyce