Newport celebrated their first WightFibre Park victory in emphatic fashion as Ji Nash bagged a hat-trick against Amesbury Town on Saturday.
After Tuesday’s disappointing 0–3 defeat to Fawley in their first league game at WightFibre Park, Port produced the perfect response against Amesbury in front of a bumper crowd of 351.
It took just 11 minutes for Newport to score their first competitive goal at the new ground. A free-kick crashed against the post and Jordan Browne reacted quickest in the scramble, forcing the loose ball home (1–0).
Browne struck again just 2 minutes later, this time powering a header into the net with the Amesbury goalkeeper rooted to the spot (2–0).
Connor Kelly was making his 300th appearance for Newport and marked the milestone in fitting fashion in the 25th minute, scoring from just inside the 6-yard box (3–0).
However, Kelly’s landmark afternoon was cut short just 4 minutes later when he was forced off through injury, with Kade Woodford taking his place.
Ji Nash added Newport’s 4th in the 32nd minute, shooting across goal and into the net (4–0), before player-manager Joe Butcher produced a powerful strike from outside the penalty area in the 39th minute (5–0).
Half Time: Newport (IOW) 5–0 Amesbury Town
Substitute Woodford added the 6th in the 59th minute, drilling a low shot beyond the goalkeeper (6–0).
Nash struck again in the 66th minute, sending a high shot into the net with the Amesbury goalkeeper stranded in no man’s land (7–0).
Just 3 minutes later, Newport were awarded a penalty and Nash stepped up to complete his hat-trick from the spot (8–0) – the first treble scored at WightFibre Park.
Nash’s hat-trick completed a remarkable turnaround from Tuesday night. Newport had left WightFibre Park after conceding 3 without reply to Fawley; 4 days later, they had scored 8, kept a clean sheet and celebrated their first victory at their new home.
Full Time: Newport (IOW) 8–0 Amesbury Town
Attendance: 351
Newport (IOW): Pitman, Grace, Benford, Hancott, Watterson (c), Holbrook, Nash, Butcher, Browne, Reynolds, Kelly. Subs: Walsh, Egerton-Read, Catania, Thompsett, Woodford.
Player-manager Joe Butcher needed only 3 words to sum up the afternoon:
“What a day!”
The victory lifts Newport to 7th in Wessex Division 1 with 12 points from 5 games and a goal difference of +10.
Port are back at WightFibre Park on Tuesday (8th September), when they face Folland Sports in the Wessex League Cup. Kick-off is at 19:45.
