Rogerstone AFC 0-1 Newport City
Newport City put their league woes behind them as they edged their way to victory against Gwent Premier League Premier Division outfit, Rogerstone, in the FAW Amateur Trophy first round.
The game started in frenetic fashion, with plenty of end to end action. City keeper Tsvetan Pateev was forced into action early on as he grasped threatening efforts from Lewis Hill and James Goodfellow, while the latter also struck a 15 yard shot just over the bar. The Steelmen responded in kind and almost scored when Gareth Hole found Luke Boyle inside the six yard box; the latter however tapped a low effort inches wide past the right post.
Rogerstone re-applied the pressure; and almost took the lead twice through Hill. The attacker firstly powered a free header narrowly over the bar, while he came even closer as he saw another header cleared off the goal line by Spencer Wood. The clearance proved pivotal as City went in front in the 26th minute thanks to Liam Head, who glanced a header from a corner delivery into the back of the net.
Despite their setback, the hosts refused to lie down and almost equalised through Alex Adams who dragged a low strike narrowly wide past the left post. Rogerstone came even closer minutes later, when a curling effort towards the top left hand corner was superbly tipped over by Pateev. City almost doubled their lead before the interval through Head, whose low strike across goal was blocked by Rogerstone keeper Stephen Meaker.
HT 1-0
The hosts restarted the game strongly as Marcus Roberts powered a couple of headers inches wide past the left post, while Pateev did well to block a close range strike by Goodfellow. Rogerstone continued to apply the pressure as Calum Griffiths fired over the bar, while he soon came even closer after witnessing his thundering 30 yard strike smack off the base of the right post.
The Steelmen eventually weathered the storm and created a number of opportunities to double their lead. Both Boyle and Rory Price fired a couple of long range efforts wide, while Martyn Mickiewicz powered a free header from a corner delivery wide past the right post. Head had a golden chance to double his goal tally in the game, but the attacker scuffed his close range shot which was comfortably saved by Meaker.
City continued to pressurise and came close again when strike by Price deflected off the foot of Hole inside the 6 yard box, but they were denied by a fine save from Meaker. The Steelmen almost sealed the game late on through substitutes Jacob Fortt and Aladje Sani, as both players saw their individual efforts drift narrowly wide past the right post. City were almost made to pay for their missed opportunities when a threatening 20 yard effort from David Powell whistled just over the bar. City were ultimately able to breathe a huge sigh of relief as they eventually booked their place into the next round of the FAW Amateur Trophy.
FT 1-0
Newport City Line-Up:
Pateev, Darling, (Sub: Joyce), Wigley, Francombe, Mickiewicz, Wood (C), Price (Sub: Fortt), Hole, Boyle, Taylor (Sub: Sani), Head (Sub: Grigorio)
Unused subs – Houldsworth