Trethomas Bluebirds 2-1 Newport City
Newport City suffered a heartbreaking defeat against league leaders Trethomas Bluebirds, conceding two late goals to fall 2-1. Despite a strong performance for much of the game, the Steelmen couldn’t capitalise on their early lead and were left to rue missed opportunities, resulting in their fifth loss in seven games.
The Bluebirds had the first big chance when Ethan Edwards broke through but struck the side netting, an early scare for City. The Steelmen quickly regained control, however, and looked the more dangerous side. Jordan Cotterill’s header nearly opened the scoring, missing narrowly past the left post. The breakthrough came in the 14th minute, as Nat Jarvis tapped in a close-range effort following Owen Bancroft’s cross, giving City a deserved 1-0 lead.
City’s momentum continued as Richard Noyes nearly doubled the lead with a shot that went inches wide. They successfully combated Trethomas’s attacks in the opening half, limiting them to half-chances and maintaining their one-goal advantage going into halftime.
HT 1-0
The Steelmen came out strongly in the second half, looking to extend their lead. Jarvis’s shot from the edge of the area was deflected just wide, while Louis Caramella-Gerrard’s header from a corner forced a vital save from Bluebirds’ keeper Harry Irving. Irving continued to keep his team in the game, denying both Noyes and Ethan Wynne with smart saves, while Cotterill’s diving header drifted just over the bar.
City had a golden opportunity when a quick counter attack sent Cotterill clear on goal, but his shot flew over, squandering a chance to virtually put the game beyond Trethomas’s reach. As the Steelmen failed to convert, the Bluebirds gained confidence in the latter stages, and pushed forward in search of an equaliser.
Trethomas finally broke through in the 89th minute with a well-taken free kick from Kallum Thomas, curling the ball into the bottom left corner to make it 1-1. As the game entered stoppage time, the Bluebirds continued pressing and won another free kick on the edge of the box in the 97th minute. Jack Jones stepped up and blasted the ball into the top left corner, sealing a dramatic 2-1 victory.
The Steelmen, crestfallen after the late collapse, couldn’t recover in the dying seconds. The Bluebirds almost added a third when Edwards hit the post from a yard out. The final whistle brought an end to a game that had looked in City’s control but slipped away, largely due to missed opportunities.
FT 1-2
Newport City Line-Up:
Riella, Noyes, Cuddihy, Cooper, Wynne, Caramella-Gerrard ©, Bancroft, Jones, Phillips (Sub: Bateman), Jarvis, Cotterill (Sub: Taylor St Clair)
Subs Not Used: Burden, John, Westhead, Atkinson, Bloom