02-05-2021, 09:39
Newport County 1 Cheltenham Town 0
Manager Mike Duff caused a surprise by changing his tried and trusted formation to 3-4-3 with May, Smith and Lloyd playing up front.
None of these players are anywhere near six foot tall and to be frank the system was not likely to work against a strong and rugged Newport team.
A very early goal by Newport skipper Josh Labadie settled this tie as early as the fourth minute when he hit a 25 yard screamer past Griffiths.
To be fair, the Robins could not adapt to the pitch which was bone hard, dry and gave the home team a complete advantage.
For the best part of half an hour Cheltenham were under the cosh and could have been 3-0 down but for incredible saves by on loan goalkeeper Josh Griffiths. Cheltenham gradually came into it but, their normal efficient passing game was nigh impossible on this scrapheap of a pitch.
There was some controversy soon after going behind, when the Robins justified appeal for a penalty was turned down. Indeed the referee was poor throughout and allowed several agricultural challenges, mainly by Newport, to go unpunished.
The second half saw Duff make several changes to give the Robins more control in midfield. The Newport players, hoping to gain 3 points to possibly gain a play off place began to sit deeper and deeper to protect their lead. By the end of the game, such was the defensive tactics employed by Newport that Cheltenham, over the 90 minutes, had 58% possession.
But the story nevertheless still has a very strange ending as both of the Robins main rivals, also lost. Bolton conceded an injury time goal to lose 1-2 to Exeter and the Robins next opponents, Harrogate had won a crazy nine goal thriller against Cambridge the night before.
So all three main contenders blew up on the finishing line but, now only Cambridge can stop the Robins claiming the League 2 title!!
Manager Mike Duff caused a surprise by changing his tried and trusted formation to 3-4-3 with May, Smith and Lloyd playing up front.
None of these players are anywhere near six foot tall and to be frank the system was not likely to work against a strong and rugged Newport team.
A very early goal by Newport skipper Josh Labadie settled this tie as early as the fourth minute when he hit a 25 yard screamer past Griffiths.
To be fair, the Robins could not adapt to the pitch which was bone hard, dry and gave the home team a complete advantage.
For the best part of half an hour Cheltenham were under the cosh and could have been 3-0 down but for incredible saves by on loan goalkeeper Josh Griffiths. Cheltenham gradually came into it but, their normal efficient passing game was nigh impossible on this scrapheap of a pitch.
There was some controversy soon after going behind, when the Robins justified appeal for a penalty was turned down. Indeed the referee was poor throughout and allowed several agricultural challenges, mainly by Newport, to go unpunished.
The second half saw Duff make several changes to give the Robins more control in midfield. The Newport players, hoping to gain 3 points to possibly gain a play off place began to sit deeper and deeper to protect their lead. By the end of the game, such was the defensive tactics employed by Newport that Cheltenham, over the 90 minutes, had 58% possession.
But the story nevertheless still has a very strange ending as both of the Robins main rivals, also lost. Bolton conceded an injury time goal to lose 1-2 to Exeter and the Robins next opponents, Harrogate had won a crazy nine goal thriller against Cambridge the night before.
So all three main contenders blew up on the finishing line but, now only Cambridge can stop the Robins claiming the League 2 title!!
Some days I'm top dog, most days I'm just the lamp post.