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| Darts Double strike sink Newport Dartford 2, Newport 0 By John Hamon of the IW County Press BATTLING Newport were hit with two goals in the final 13 minutes when they looked capable of grabbing at least a point. The Kent side started the better and Port keeper Joe McCormack was forced to make a fine save in the sixth minute. In the 11th minute Adam Barsdell just missed the target from a free kick. Dartford had a great opportunity in the 17th minute when Kwashi was put through but with only McCormack to beat, he shot well wide. Dartford then had a free kick on the edge of the penalty area but this was well cleared by John McCormack. In the 27th minute a great through ball by Barsdell found Shane Jones but the Newport player was thwarted by the onrushing Dartford keeper. Port finished the first 45 minutes strongly and a great cross by Barsdell just eluded the forwards. Three minutes into injury time Iain Stevens shot just wide. The Islanders should have taken a 67th minute lead when Barsdell had a great opportunity but shot into the side netting. I n the 74th minute Newport produced a fine move involving Barsdell, Danny Hatcher and Simon Pilcher that ended with a corner. It was cleared for another flag kick and from it, the home keeper produced an amazing save to deny Pilcher. Three minutes later, the hosts grabbed the lead through KWASHI, who slotted home coolly at the far post. As Newport pushed forward in search of an equaliser, Dartford threatened and May should have scored in the 85th minute but shot well wide. A minute later, Dartford went two ahead when MAY made up for the earlier miss with a good finish. Wight Warriors lead battle cry with wholehearted display Burnham 4 Newport IW 3 match report by Chris Osbourne In a match that was the prelude to what promises to be an eventful, if not emotional week ahead. The Islander's produced the kind of spirited display that will be required if Newport are to continue to play apart in the annuals of Southern League football on the Isle of Wight It remains to be seen this week, what direction Newport IW Football Club will be going in the near future, supporters should take heed at what happened at Burnham on Saturday 24th 2004. If the off-field passion is matched by yesterday's on-field antic's then there will be every hope that the club's 116th Birthday on Tuesday will be the start of a new era for Newport FC. For the travelling supporters at The Gore, it was an entertaining match to say the least. The game started in unseasonably mild weather under a blue sky, although the pitch was a little heavy. The opening quarter of an hour was uneventful, with no hint of what was to follow. The game came to life in the 16th minute when the home striker Terry Mitchell lashed a shot past Joe McCormack's left hand only to see it rebound off the far post. Michael Bartley reacted first and shot home the rebound from close range although there looked to be more than a hint of hand control involved. Despite protests from 'Port defenders, the referee,Mr S Phipps, awarded the goal. Approaching the half hour mark and the away team were coming more into the game. In their best effort so far, Darren Thorpe saw his shot held on the line with the keeper actually behind the line to collect it from under the bar. In the 38th minute,the linesman failed to see Danny Hatcher 2 yards offside and to the amazement of the crowd, no flag was raised. Danny checked his run, then realised his good fortune and continued to the edge of the penalty area where his cross was hoisted into the roof of the net by a grateful Adam Barsdell. Alas, by now the very vocal Island faithful behind the goal, had taken over the stand and only Ken and Turtle were braving the sudden downpour to sample the goal at close hand. In the final minute of the half Hatch again put in a great cross but this time Barney headed just wide at the far post. All square at the break and Newport looking the better side. Steve Bonsor had pulled up just before half time with a muscle pull and a minute into the second half it was clear the half time rest hadn't been enough so he went off, to be replaced by Peter Hart. Eight minutes into the half came what proved to be the turning point in the game. Justin Hughes's tackle was harshly deemed to warrant a penalty and worse still, his protests that he'd got the ball were enough to get him a red card. Terry Davis slotted home the penalty. After more than holding their own 'Port found themselves 2-1 behind and a man down. Worse was to come when the home side scored twice in three minutes. It could have been so different though when a Barsdell free kick was well tipped over the bar on the hour. Terry Mitchell scored in the 65th and a good move down the right ended with Steve Lockhart heading home in the 68th. The home side appeared to be coasting it but the current Newport side are made of sterner stuff and would not lie down. Just a couple of minutes after going 4-1 behind, Iain Stevens shot through the legs of defender Steve Noakes and the deflection off his ankle was enough to eludethe former Swindon Town glovesman Steve Smith in the home goal. Ten minutes to go and Barney raced towards the goal, but seemed to have lost the chance when two home defenders closed him down. Persistence of the highest order though and he created himself another opportunity which this time found the back of the net. The ten were outplaying the eleven and the home crowd were both getting nervous. The tension was cranked up another couple of notches in the 81st minute. Substitute Peter Hart was booked for a tackle on home substitute Warren Green whose retaliation earned him his second yellow of the game - off trudged the home player to be the second player of the match in the showers. A minute to go and Barney shoots wide again. A nervy home side try to use up time at every set piece. With the rampent Island Army demanding action as Burnham go through the motions of a substitution, the referee gestures his wrist watch to the fans. True to his word, he plays 7 minutes of stoppage time! In the third minute of time added on and after another Newport attack had ended in a corner away fans were surprised to hear the cry of "Keeper" as the kick came in. Big Joe McCormack had come up to sample life in the opposite penalty area and his header set up a chance for Simon Pilcher who shot just wide. Six minutes into stoppage time and Hatcher appeared to have salvaged a point having thrown himself into a crowded goalmouth only to see the keeper palm his goal bound shot round the post. Despite playing in an unusual kit of yellow shirts and borrowed black shorts( their normal blue shorts being to close to the home sides colours) there was sadly to be no sting in the tail for the Island hornets. Newport: McCormack, Buckman, Hughes, Holmes, Stevens, Pilcher, Hatcher, Bonser, Barsdell, Thorpe, Perry Subs: Hart, John McCormack, Bridges, Guy Banbury run riot despite Joe's Heroic's Newport 0, Banbury United 4 By John Hamon of the IW County Press THE ISLAND side was totally outplayed as they suffered their biggest home defeat of the season. But for the heroics of goalkeeper Joe McCormack, the scoreline could have been worse. In the eighth minute, a mistake by Alex Perry let in George Redknap but McCormack produced a fine save. Mark Simms then shot just over before, in the 18th minute, a cross by Newport's Danny Hatcher was met at the near post by Chris Bridges but he couldn't put it on target. The home side had a let-off in the 21st minute when a far-post header by Chris Potter smashed against the post following a cross by Wayne Blossom. McCormack then produced a brilliant save from a point-blank header by Simms. However, the pressure finally told in the 42nd minute. Les Robinson did well down the right-hand side and his far-post cross was firmly headed home by REDKNAP. The same player should have made it 2-0 before the interval but with only McCormack to beat, he shot wide. It took Banbury less than 60 seconds after the interval to double their advantage. Following a goalmouth scramble, BLOSSOM got the final touch. It was all over in the 64th minute when a long clearance found Dave BILLINGTON and he shot past McCormack from 20 yards. It was not until the 74th minute that Newport had their first shot on target, when Ashley Wright's effort was easily saved. A minute from the end, Newport almost grabbed a consolation when Mark Isaacson's powerful header from a Justin Hughes corner was cleared off the line by Ady Fuller. In the 90th minute, Banbury completed the scoring. A long free kick by Blossom evaded the Newport defence and substitute Liam O'NEILL stole in at the far post to score with a header. Newport: McCormack, Buckman, Hughes, Holmes, Isaacson, Pilcher, Hatcher, Sperry, Bridges, Wright, Perry. Subs: Bonser, Stevens, Guy. HISTORY MADE AS 'PORT FIELD AN ALL ISLAND XI from the Isle of Wight County Press web-site Newport 1, Burgess Hill Town 1 NEWPORT produced a superb team effort to salvage a point against in-form Burgess Hill Town on Saturday at St George's Park. For the first time at this level, Newport fielded a complete squad of Island based players. However, within 60 seconds, the home side was forced into a substitution after Jon Holmes, who felt an injury during the warm-up, came off and was replaced by Iain Stevens. While Newport were readjusting, Burgess Hill almost took an early lead but Ashley Carr shot wide from six yards. The Islanders regrouped and Gary Sperry put Danny Hatcher clear but Burgess keeper Pat Gannon saved. However, in the 18th minute, the Port went ahead. A free-kick from Ian Buckman found Chris Bridges and his header down went to Alex PERRY who controlled the ball and hammered left footed into the roof of the net, much to the delight of the 249 crowd. Burgess almost levelled in injury time of the first half when a telling cross from Matt Geard was headed inches over by Nicky Sullivan. After the interval, Steve Harper for Burgess was only denied by a great tackle from Sperry. A long clearance from Newport keeper Joe McCormack was headed on by Bridges to Simon Pilcher whose shot went just wide. Burgess then put Newport under intense pressure and, in the 67th minute, deservedly equalised. A cross from Sullivan was slotted home by CARR. Burgess went for a winner and Harper squandered a good chance when he shot over. In fact, Harper could have had a hat-trick within minutes. McCormack pulled off a great save from a Harper shot and then the Burgess number seven hit the post with a free-kick just outside the penalty area. Although under the cosh, Newport almost stole the points in the last 11 minutes and the Sussex side had a real let-off in the 79th minute. A brilliant cross from Hatcher was met at the far post by Bridges but his header rattled the bar and from the rebound, Ashley Wright's effort was saved on the line by Gannon. Then, with five minutes remaining, a good break by Newport ended with a blistering shot from substitute Steve Bonser that was superbly turned over the bar by the Burgess keeper Newport: McCormack, Buckman, Hughes, Holmes, Isaacson, Pilcher, Hatcher, Sperry, Bridges, Wright, Perry. Subs: Bonser, Stevens, Guy. TOUGH SCRAP SAVES A POINT from the Isle of Wight County Press Newport 2, Fisher Athletic 2 WITH a squad of just 15 players, Newport put all off-field worries behind them and produced a battling, gritty display to grab a well-earned point on Saturday. Decimated after the mass exodus of mainly mainland players, acting manager Bunny Warrick played ten Islanders in his starting line-up with another three on the bench. The visitors almost took a first-minute lead when Goma Lambu shot and Port keeper Joe McCormack spilled it but Gary Abbott shot his effort wide. McCormack made amends minutes later when he produced a first-class save to deny Marlon Patterson.However, in the fifth minute, Fisher grabbed the lead. A cross from Steve Taylor was missed by Jon Holmes and ABBOTT smashed the ball home from close range. Within five minutes, the Island side was level. Ashley Wright did extremely well down the right and his telling cross was turned in by Chris BRIDGES. Abbott almost restored Fisher's lead but his header was saved by McCormack. Right on half-time the Londoners went ahead again when ABBOTT scored with a near-post volley after a cross from Patterson. Early in the second half, a free-kick from Danny Hatcher found Gareth Keeping but the Newport midfielder's header went wide. With 11 minutes remaining, Newport got a deserved equaliser. Once again, Wright was the maker with a great run down the right and his cross was hammered in by KEEPING. Al-James Hannigan looked odds on to score for Fisher until a brilliant tackle from Holmes denied him. In the 87th minute a brilliant through ball from Wright put Hatcher clear but Robert O'Hara in the Fisher goal spread himself and made a good save. From the resulting corner, a header by Mark Isaacson was saved by O'Hara. Deep into injury time, Fisher almost grabbed a dramatic winner when Daniel Fletcher's point-blank shot was brilliantly turned away for a corner by McCormack. Newport: McCormack, Buckman, Holmes, Hatcher, Isaacson, Pilcher, Keeping, Sperry, Bridges, Wright, Perry. Subs: Stevens, Hughes, Warrick. Salisbury 2, Newport 0 ALTHOUGH Newport suffered defeat at Salisbury on New Year's Day, they returned from Wiltshire £900 better off after the 701 crowd generously gave £623 in a bucket collection and the directors of the home club made up the difference. Salisbury made it 14 league games without defeat when they won with goals from Craig DAVIS, deep into injury time in the first half, and Scott BARTLETT on the hour. The Islanders battled hard and hit back with two good chances inside five minutes when Gareth Keeping had a shot pushed away by Salisbury keeper Kevin Sawyer and then Alex Perry smashed a free-kick against the angle of the post and bar after 68 minutes. - John Hamon SALISBURY CITY DONATE £900 TO SNAG Newport's visit to Salisbury City wasn't all doom and gloom, the Wiltshire club would be the first club to admit that they know what Newport FC supporters have been going through. They were in a similar position themselves a couple of seasons back and through a technicality were able to have their resignation letter to the Dr Martens League torn up. Nick Holmes, the Salisbury City Manager (far right) was to present Dave Bingham with a cheque for £900 to the Save Newport(FC) Action Group. The bucket collection at Salisbury City raised £623, with the Salisbury directors pledging £250 before the start of the match, decided that they'd round up the total by £27 to £900. SNAG would like to thank Salisbury City FC and its supporters for its help. |
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