Newport match report

[the doc]

Excuse the bias , I'm a county fan 
It was a war of attrition on a mud heap on a bitterly cold night. It rather resembled a First World War barrage for most of the game and both 'keepers were seldom troubled.
The first half was pretty even though on occasion Rovers threatened by raiding on the right with a couple of potentially dangerous crosses. After the break Doncaster were in almost total control and Newport fought a brave rearguard action , there wasn't a lot of football and the referee as is usual in this division was absolutely useless. Despite the dominance the visitors failed to carve out real chances and the game drifted towards the end.
 A few minutes before full time County forward Gordon went down in the box after an apparent push. The ref gave a free kick to Doncaster but interestingly didn't card the forward for diving - work that one out.
Anyway, a home win would probably have meant a visit from the local constabulary on a charge of daylight ( or rather floodlight ) robbery so justice was done.
In the end both sides looked fairly pleased with the point.
All the best in your promotion push, let's hope we live to fight another day.

[Filo]

I was n't there, but going by the admittedly bias comentary the ref sounded like a right homer

[esdailles left foot]

Football should not be allowed to be played on a pitch in that condition. John Beck style tactics

[Filo]

Football should not be allowed to be played on a pitch in that condition. John Beck style tactics

On Wiki it says the surface is grass 😀😀😀😀

[IDM]

Same for both sides.. our pitch was shocking a few seasons ago too...

[Dutch Uncle]

Thank you doc, your report is very welcome to those of us who couldn't make it. Good luck in your fight to stay in the League.

I know I am in a minority of about 3 on here, but here's hoping for a win for Wales in the Rugby today 

[Filo]

Same for both sides.. our pitch was shocking a few seasons ago too...

 Yes our pitch was bad, but it was like the putting greens at Augusta compared to that pitch, by the looks of it

[IDM]

Strangely and uniquely Rugby is far less aggressively partisan than football.  Of course I want England to win, but if Wales win having played better, I would respect that much more than if Doncaster had lost last night...

Thanks for the report...

[Jenny]

It wasn't a pitch, it was a beach & the keepmost has never been that bad. Glad rovers at least tried to play football in the second half as the first half was abysmal.

The ref was awful, the Newport players timewasted from the first minute to try and level the gulf in class, they need not have bothered as the pitch was taking care of that.

A very frustrating night.

[Susan Abbott]

Excuse the bias , I'm a county fan 
It was a war of attrition on a mud heap on a bitterly cold night. It rather resembled a First World War barrage for most of the game and both 'keepers were seldom troubled.
The first half was pretty even though on occasion Rovers threatened by raiding on the right with a couple of potentially dangerous crosses. After the break Doncaster were in almost total control and Newport fought a brave rearguard action , there wasn't a lot of football and the referee as is usual in this division was absolutely useless. Despite the dominance the visitors failed to carve out real chances and the game drifted towards the end.
 A few minutes before full time County forward Gordon went down in the box after an apparent push. The ref gave a free kick to Doncaster but interestingly didn't card the forward for diving - work that one out.
Anyway, a home win would probably have meant a visit from the local constabulary on a charge of daylight ( or rather floodlight ) robbery so justice was done.
In the end both sides looked fairly pleased with the point.
All the best in your promotion push, let's hope we live to fight another day.

Rovers dominated 75% and you'd cried robbery if lost ? ( bias for sure) 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jimmydee]

Susan Abbot.....if you read the report again you will see that The Doc writes that it would have been daylight robbery if Newport had won. It was a fair report. The ref was dreadful.
I was just glad that the weather wasn't worse and the game went ahead. Well done to the 400 supporters that travelled to the game that risked the game being postponed or abandoned.

[idler]

Excuse the bias , I'm a county fan 
It was a war of attrition on a mud heap on a bitterly cold night. It rather resembled a First World War barrage for most of the game and both 'keepers were seldom troubled.
The first half was pretty even though on occasion Rovers threatened by raiding on the right with a couple of potentially dangerous crosses. After the break Doncaster were in almost total control and Newport fought a brave rearguard action , there wasn't a lot of football and the referee as is usual in this division was absolutely useless. Despite the dominance the visitors failed to carve out real chances and the game drifted towards the end.
 A few minutes before full time County forward Gordon went down in the box after an apparent push. The ref gave a free kick to Doncaster but interestingly didn't card the forward for diving - work that one out.
Anyway, a home win would probably have meant a visit from the local constabulary on a charge of daylight ( or rather floodlight ) robbery so justice was done.
In the end both sides looked fairly pleased with the point.
All the best in your promotion push, let's hope we live to fight another day.

Thanks for the report doc and I congratulate you on grinding out a result, we've been there.
I couldn't watch a Graham Westley team playing like that week in week out though.
Good luck for the rest of the season and are there any plans to eventually have a ground to yourselves in the future?

[Campsall rover]

That was a very good point in the end as Newports ambition was to do anything legal AND illegal to stop us.
Some of the challenges were nothing less than thugary.
Done on the street and it would be a prison sentence.
2 of their players should have had straight red cards, one didn't even get a yellow.
The Ref David Webb and we have now had him 3 times this season was incompetent in protecting us, he did nothing. As for the assistant refs and I use that term loosely, may as well not turned up.
Typical Westley team awful. That was rugby not football.

[wilts rover]

The most baffling decision by the ref was the one in the second half where one of our players, I think it was Blair, had finally managed to break through their offside trap and was running through the beach towards the goal, only the keeper to beat, and we find out he has blown for a free-kick to us back on halfway! When exactly he had blown and if their defenders had stopped it was difficult to tell, but even so there was a break and he should have allowed us an advantage.

[the doc]

Excuse the bias , I'm a county fan 
It was a war of attrition on a mud heap on a bitterly cold night. It rather resembled a First World War barrage for most of the game and both 'keepers were seldom troubled.
The first half was pretty even though on occasion Rovers threatened by raiding on the right with a couple of potentially dangerous crosses. After the break Doncaster were in almost total control and Newport fought a brave rearguard action , there wasn't a lot of football and the referee as is usual in this division was absolutely useless. Despite the dominance the visitors failed to carve out real chances and the game drifted towards the end.
 A few minutes before full time County forward Gordon went down in the box after an apparent push. The ref gave a free kick to Doncaster but interestingly didn't card the forward for diving - work that one out.
Anyway, a home win would probably have meant a visit from the local constabulary on a charge of daylight ( or rather floodlight ) robbery so justice was done.
In the end both sides looked fairly pleased with the point.
All the best in your promotion push, let's hope we live to fight another day.

Thanks for the report doc and I congratulate you on grinding out a result, we've been there.
I couldn't watch a Graham Westley team playing like that week in week out though.
Good luck for the rest of the season and are there any plans to eventually have a ground to yourselves in the future?

The only thing the fans like about the ground mate, is the central location near to the pubs! They hate the playing surface and the " rugby ambience " of the stadium. We'd love to get out but it's the same old problem, no cash : apart from the surface , it's better than the athletics stadium situated nowhere in particular that we played at before.
Not that it's pretty but we're grateful to Westley, at least there's some fight in the buggers now, the ones he inherited couldn't be bothered. They're not a dirty side just as hard as nails and Pipe is the prime example, it's not a disgrace to be second best to a decent side and Doncaster are obviously that. You should walk this league, I've only been impressed by Pompey so far and they seem to be a bit in and out. All the best for the rest.
As regards the rugger I  couldn't really give a toss, don't like the egg-chasing but on a purely nationalist thingy I'd like to think Wales will win but if I'm honest I think England will tonk 'em - fings ain't what they used to be
Don't think we'll see you next year, I just hope there's not 2 leagues difference that's all! Kind regards

[Capmeister]

The pitch was like one of those early plastic ones. bounce looked really hard to judge. It caught players out on both sides and quite often didnt run true. Donny adapted pretty well but looked to be missing Copps creativity. No real cutting edge from either side. Newport struck to their task and arguably were more up for it. Glad to get a point on a bitterly cold night. Got neck strain from their keeper's punts. I swear the ball was never gonna come down once or twice! Was a bit niggly at times. Probably due to the frustration the pitch created.

Other matters, looks like Newport might be a half decent night out. Went in Potters and Windsors. Big thanks to Highways England for shutting half the motorways coming home. I got lost and ended up in some farmer's field a al Cleese in Clockwise.

Finally, Newport seem to have plenty of spirit to get out of trouble. Their pitch may help at home. They are a bit long ball but if it works crack on. Remarkably little anti-English sentiment  encountered as with other visits to this principality

[Metalmicky]

Just noticed that there's highlights on the Newport County Facebook page if anyone interested.....

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Just seen the highlights and you describe it very well. Seems DF picked a team for the conditions not willing to risk Copps and Baudry.

Looked as though a few chances went begging when Rowe, Houghton, Williams couldn't make clean contact with the ball. Think they were happy to come away with the unbeaten run intact.

[roversdude]

Doc best of luck with survival and with being managed by kitson westley
Thanks for posting and apologies that some of us can't read things correctly

[idler]

Excuse the bias , I'm a county fan 
It was a war of attrition on a mud heap on a bitterly cold night. It rather resembled a First World War barrage for most of the game and both 'keepers were seldom troubled.
The first half was pretty even though on occasion Rovers threatened by raiding on the right with a couple of potentially dangerous crosses. After the break Doncaster were in almost total control and Newport fought a brave rearguard action , there wasn't a lot of football and the referee as is usual in this division was absolutely useless. Despite the dominance the visitors failed to carve out real chances and the game drifted towards the end.
 A few minutes before full time County forward Gordon went down in the box after an apparent push. The ref gave a free kick to Doncaster but interestingly didn't card the forward for diving - work that one out.
Anyway, a home win would probably have meant a visit from the local constabulary on a charge of daylight ( or rather floodlight ) robbery so justice was done.
In the end both sides looked fairly pleased with the point.
All the best in your promotion push, let's hope we live to fight another day.

Thanks for the report doc and I congratulate you on grinding out a result, we've been there.
I couldn't watch a Graham Westley team playing like that week in week out though.
Good luck for the rest of the season and are there any plans to eventually have a ground to yourselves in the future?

The only thing the fans like about the ground mate, is the central location near to the pubs! They hate the playing surface and the " rugby ambience " of the stadium. We'd love to get out but it's the same old problem, no cash : apart from the surface , it's better than the athletics stadium situated nowhere in particular that we played at before.
Not that it's pretty but we're grateful to Westley, at least there's some fight in the buggers now, the ones he inherited couldn't be bothered. They're not a dirty side just as hard as nails and Pipe is the prime example, it's not a disgrace to be second best to a decent side and Doncaster are obviously that. You should walk this league, I've only been impressed by Pompey so far and they seem to be a bit in and out. All the best for the rest.
As regards the rugger I  couldn't really give a toss, don't like the egg-chasing but on a purely nationalist thingy I'd like to think Wales will win but if I'm honest I think England will tonk 'em - fings ain't what they used to be
Don't think we'll see you next year, I just hope there's not 2 leagues difference that's all! Kind regards

My daughter's first teaching post was a primary school on a rough estate somewhere in Newport. She had to travel from near Cowbridge every day, it was a right bind she said at the time.

[les@donr]

I can see Newport staying up, and Notts C and Leyton O going down.

[albie]

YT highlights;
Newport C v Doncaster - YouTube

Pitch is beyond belief.

[IDM]

Some folks will remember a match at Rochdale over the christmas holidays in 1982 (or similar) which I think ended 2-2.

That pitch was a bog.  But I don't remember any complaints or even talk of a postponement.  Both sides just got on with it.  And before folks say football was different back then, slower etc, we had the likes of both Snodins in their prime..

Was the pitch at Newport anywhere near as bad as that at Spotland??

We were spoiled at Belle Vue with the pitch bedded on railway ash..  I don't recall many matches called off for waterlogging or frozen off in the early 80s??  The day we played Penrith in the FA Cup there were only 3 senior fixtures that survived the wintry weather that day.. 

[Donnywolf]

Good grief .... what a Pitch but probably better than Derby used to have at times at The Baseball Ground. Noticeably bobbly even on those highlights. KMS was bad at times but nowhere near that - but it could have been if Knights had been promoted and were Playing at KMS while bringing Castle Park up to Prem standard !

Rochdale was always poor and they had so many postponements over the years (that they reckoned cost them chances of Promotion quite a few times) that they decided to upgrade the Drainage "system". Once they started they found oops no drainage system was in place to upgrade !

[The Red Baron]

Some mud-larks from the Baseball Ground. Feel for the poor Yugoslav keeper!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6e5wv7gqSVY

And from the Clough era, Derby v Wolves v Mudflats

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MLsb_ABM1H4

[roversdude]

A blade of grass in each corner lol