Joe Butcher, Ji Nash and Brad Young were on target as Newport made a winning start to their league campaign away to Hamworthy United this afternoon.
Newport overcame a blistering first-half onslaught from Hamworthy United before twice regaining the lead to begin their Wessex Division One campaign with an impressive away victory.
Missing a handful of players through injury and holidays, manager Joe Butcher was forced into changes for the opening fixture. Sonny Myram and Dan Pearson were named among the substitutes, while Kudzi Mazambara came into the starting line-up after Joe Hancott was taken ill on the morning of the match.
Hamworthy flew out of the traps and could easily have put the game beyond Newport inside the opening half-hour. The hosts struck the woodwork twice, Leon Pitman produced two outstanding saves and another glorious opportunity somehow drifted wide of an unguarded goal, while the large travelling Newport support could only wonder how the scores remained level.
Newport absorbed the pressure superbly and punished those missed chances 10 minutes before the break. Butcher collected possession on the left edge of the penalty area before delicately lifting a composed finish over the advancing goalkeeper to give the visitors the lead against the run of play (0-1).
Behind him, George Holbrook and Mikey Thompsett were immense, repeatedly throwing themselves into blocks as Hamworthy searched for a breakthrough. The hosts eventually found the equaliser their first-half display deserved when a powerful strike from the edge of the area beat Pitman at his near post (1-1). Despite enjoying far less possession, Newport went into the interval knowing they had weathered the worst of the storm.
Half Time: Hamworthy United 1-1 Newport
Hamworthy again enjoyed more of the ball after the restart but found Newport increasingly difficult to break down. As the visitors grew in confidence, set-pieces began to look their most dangerous weapon.
The match burst into life around the hour mark when Butcher whipped a dangerous corner into the six-yard box. The goalkeeper’s punch lacked conviction, Brad Young’s header was cleared off the line and Ji Nash reacted in a flash, smashing the loose ball into the roof of the net to restore Newport’s advantage (1-2).
The celebrations had barely subsided before Hamworthy hit back. Straight from the restart the home side sliced through the Newport defence and finished coolly to make it 2-2, but Newport’s response was immediate. Three minutes later, another inswinging delivery from Butcher caused panic inside the penalty area. Young attacked the loose ball decisively and his powerful header found the net to put the Port back in front for a third and decisive time (2-3).
Holbrook marshalled the defence superbly through a tense final quarter to earn the Man of the Match award, while Jordan Browne, Butcher and Young used all their experience to help guide Newport’s younger players through the closing stages.
Hamworthy thought they had salvaged a point in the closing minutes, only for Pitman to produce a magnificent fingertip save that ensured Newport’s hard work was rewarded. The final whistle was greeted with celebrations as the players crossed to thank their sizeable travelling support.
Full Time: Hamworthy United 2-3 Newport
Newport: Pitman, Grace, Benford, Young, Thompsett, Holbrook, Nash, Walsh, Browne (c), Mazambara, Butcher Subs: Linington, Pearson, Conway, Myram
Man of the Match: George Holbrook.
