Rickie Lambert officially opened Newport’s new WightFibre Park home before the 10-man Port battled to a hard-earned draw against Kintbury Rangers.
A crowd of 406, Newport’s 3rd attendance above 400 at their new home, watched the Port produce a determined performance despite the early dismissal of captain Macauley Watterson in Saturday’s (10th October) Wessex League Division One encounter.
Before kick-off, former Southampton and Liverpool striker and England international Rickie Lambert helped officially open WightFibre Park alongside Newport club president Bob Foad and Chris Powell, mother of the late Newport legend Darren Powell.
Newport began brightly and took a deserved lead in the 6th minute when Joe Hancott delivered a cross into the penalty area for Mikey Thompsett to bundle home from close range (1-0).
However, the Port’s promising start suffered a major setback in the 23rd minute when skipper Macauley Watterson was shown a straight red card following an altercation with a Kintbury player.
Reduced to 10 men with more than an hour remaining, Newport were forced to reorganise but continued to frustrate the visitors, who struggled to make their numerical advantage count.
Despite being a man short, the Port remained dangerous on the counter-attack and thought they had doubled their advantage in the 44th minute when Ji Nash headed home from close range. However, the assistant referee raised his flag for offside, cutting short Newport’s celebrations.
Kintbury offered little attacking threat during the remainder of the opening period, with the home side defending resolutely to preserve their slender advantage at the interval.
Half Time: Newport IW 1-0 Kintbury Rangers
The 2nd half proved a scrappy affair, with frequent free-kicks and stoppages preventing either side from establishing much rhythm. Newport continued to work tirelessly to protect their lead, while Kintbury increasingly relied on long balls and set-pieces in an attempt to break down the Port’s stubborn defence.
As the half progressed, Newport began to tire under the pressure of playing with 10 men, and the visitors eventually made their numerical advantage count in the 77th minute when Oliver Denner scrambled the ball home from close range (1-1). The equaliser was every bit as untidy as Newport’s opening goal.
However, the Port refused to settle for a draw and almost snatched all 3 points in the closing stages. Connor Kelly twice found himself in promising positions, only to be denied on both occasions by the Kintbury goalkeeper, who blocked his efforts to prevent Newport from reclaiming the lead.
Full Time: Newport IW 1-1 Kintbury Rangers
Newport IW: Pitman, Grace, Thompsett, Hancott, Watterson (c), Conway, Nash, Walsh, Browne, Butcher, Kelly. Subs: Egerton-Read, Young, Younie, Mazambara, Barsdell Man of the Match: Jordan Browne.
Attendance: 406
Newport remain 8th in Wessex League Division One with 18 points from 9 games, having played fewer matches than all 7 sides above them..
The Port are next in action on Tuesday (13th October), when they travel to Lymington Town.
VICS PUNISHED FOR MISSED CHANCES AS BAFFINS SNATCH CONTROVERSIAL WINNER
East Cowes Vics were left empty-handed after dominating the early exchanges but falling victim to a controversial 2nd-half winner at Baffins Milton Rovers.
Vics made a flying start to their Wessex Premier League encounter in Portsmouth on Saturday (10th October), taking the game to their hosts and creating a succession of opportunities that might have put the contest beyond Baffins before the interval.
Josh Neale was the first to threaten in the 15th minute, unleashing a goalbound effort that was blocked by a Baffins defender. The visitors continued to press forward and came agonisingly close to taking the lead in the 23rd minute when a header beat the goalkeeper but struck the post, leaving the home side breathing a sigh of relief.
Vics continued to carve out openings, producing another flowing attacking move in the 40th minute. Elliot surged down the right flank before delivering an inviting cross into the penalty area, where Macca Barnes looked certain to score. However, a desperate intervention from a Baffins defender somehow kept the ball out and denied Vics a deserved breakthrough.
Having enjoyed the better of the opening 45 minutes and come within inches of scoring, Vics headed into the dressing room frustrated that their attacking endeavour had not been rewarded.
Half Time: Baffins Milton Rovers 0-0 East Cowes Vics
The complexion of the contest changed after the restart as Baffins began to find their attacking rhythm. The home side pushed forward with greater purpose, creating opportunities of their own and forcing Vics to spend more time defending than they had during the opening period.
By the hour mark, Baffins were beginning to threaten with increasing regularity, and the breakthrough finally arrived in controversial circumstances in the 67th minute.
As the home side attacked, Vics players stopped to appeal for offside, expecting the assistant referee’s flag to be raised. However, no whistle came, play continued and Jack Welch seized the opportunity to fire Baffins into the lead (1-0).
It was a bitter blow for the visitors, who had enjoyed the better chances before the break but now found themselves chasing a game they might already have been winning.
Baffins looked to capitalise on their advantage as the clock ticked down, launching further attacks down the flanks and attempting to stretch the Vics defence. The Islanders resisted the pressure and prevented the hosts from extending their lead, but were unable to find the equaliser that would have rescued a point.
Full Time: Baffins Milton Rovers 1-0 East Cowes Vics
East Cowes Vics: G. Bridi, Dyer, Snow, West, Yates, Wheeler, Chapman, Barnes, Wall, J. Neale, Hart. Subs: Haward, Mooney, Horns, Boyd-Kerr, W. Bridi.
The defeat leaves East Cowes Vics 17th in the Wessex Premier Division with 11 points from 11 games, 4 points behind 15th-placed Baffins Milton Rovers.
Vics now face an immediate opportunity to put the disappointment behind them when they welcome local rivals Cowes Sports to the JA Dempsey Community Stadium on Tuesday evening (13th October) for a Wessex League Cup 2nd-round clash.
