Parity in the Principality

By: Andrew Doherty
Date: 16/11/2024

CROESO I Casnewydd. All the signs around here are marked up in Welsh even though no-one speaks any. Come to that, Newport isn't spoken about much in spite of what Visit Wales says in its favour. As a city, it hasn't got much to recommend it.

There's a good Asian food wholesaler and a nice food court in the otherwise dilapidated centre. The railway station is a dump but it does have good rail connections. For once travel was less of an issue for me as Rodney Parade, home of Newport County, is my nearest EFL League 2 ground. For most Town fans, it's the furthest so well done to anyone who made it to South Wales. 4,298 spectators were at Rodney Parade including 398 Town supporters. Considering the distance for most, the cost of travel and the fact that today's game was being televised, it's a decent turnout from our supporters.

Newport County share a troubled history in common with last week's opponents Wimbledon. Both sides deserve applause for rising from the ashes. The similarities end there. When I came here a couple of years ago, there was a very interesting story in the match programme about the 1968/9 season when the side finished 22nd in division 4 with crowds of around 2,500 - Town finished 23rd - and the owner, who if I remember rightly was a local dealer in scrap metal, didn't have the money to keep the club going. It was rescued when 9,000 turned up for a specially-arranged friendly against Cardiff City for the purpose of raising revenue. In contrast to the plushness of Plough Lane, the Rodney Parade ground is an earthier sort of place. I read last week that Wimbledon's Dons Local Action Group dinner costs £220 per head and is overseen by a Michelin star chef. I can't see that happening here in South Wales where no-one has this kind of money, and in any case unless the chef was offering the ubiquitous local dish of curry and “half and half” chips and rice, they wouldn't be interested anyway. Wimbledon shows how the other half lives, I suppose. But the aim is the same for all of us: survival, progress and promotion from EFL division 2.

After rightly praising the players after last week's win at Wimbledon, Mr Artell identified this week's improvement topic as in-pitch possession decision making. Assuming this to mean passing, movement and retaining possession, I thought we did better at this last week than in our previous away wins. It's a mark of progress that we've got to this stage. Last season the technical quality was much poorer and provided an immediate obstacle to our in-pitch possession decision making. And we must be doing something right to have secured five consecutive away victories. I wasn't confident last week, wrongly as it happens, but it would be strange if I wasn't this week. Today's opponents Newport are in lower mid-table and as that suggests have been patchy this season but they have had good victories over Doncaster and Gillingham amongst others. So we looked to Mr Artell's squad to be focussed, resilient, skilful, creative and now adept at in-pitch possession decision making. If we get all that lot right, then we are making progress.

Town's side today was: Wright - Warren, Rodgers, McJannet, Hume - Svanthorsson, McEachren, Green, Khouri, Barrington - Rose. Lining up for Newport was former Mariner Bryn Morris. In spite of the announcer's best efforts, the presentation of the teams was met with no enthusiasm. With Newport in their customary amber and black, Town couldn't wear the yellow and red kit which has gone with recent success and wore light blue instead.

After earlier drizzle and rain, the weather turned cloudy and bright in time for kick-off. An air raid siren ominously greeted the teams. The early signs were of an open game. An early foul on Rose led to a free-kick by Barrington from which Green headed wide. Newport responded by winning a corner but Evans's attempt to chip the defence was way too long. Town then won a corner after first clearing a Newport move involving Morris and Hudlin. Newport regained control but McEachren made a good interception. Brennan showed composure in dealing with the threat. Evans then ballooned a shot over for Newport. Nice work by Kamwa led a cross towards the beanpole and former Solihull tormentor Hudlin but Warren did well to position himself and nullify the height advantage. McEachren made another good interception and passed forward to Green - corner. Nothing came of it. 20 minutes had gone. Both sides were playing ok but not incisively, and were negating each other's efforts. Wright had to make a double save, first from Evans, then from Kamwa. Newport retained possession but Green stopped the rot. Warren was injured by a robust tackle from Kamwa but was able to continue. Hudlin was then fouled in Town's half. Baker was unable to reach McLoughlin's cross. A great tackle by Green then stopped Whitmore. On 37 minutes Town won a corner after determined work by Rose and Warren. Hume's cross was caught by Townsend. Two minutes later Town put together their best move when McJannet found Svanthorsson who ran across field, enabling a cross to Green. The ball looked to come back off the post but the referee saw an infringement. Wright was forced to stop Whitmore from pouncing. Warren took the ball forward but lost it. Newport made nothing of the attack. Town attacked on 41 minutes. Green won a throw, but the featherweight Svanthorsson was dispossessed, redeeming himself shortly afterwards by winning a corner. As a result of the injuries during the half, 5 minutes were added. The announcer gleefully and dramatically told us that the added time was sponsored by a local carpet company who were offering a free gripper. Wow and more wow. There was no drama on the pitch however as both teams fell short of creating any real opportunity they had done all half. 0 - 0 at half time was an accurate summary of the game so far. I sat and ate my Welsh cake amid resigned silence. The first half had offered nothing to discuss.

As the second half began, Town immediately showed the energy which had been so widely lacking in the first. Muscling their way forward, Rose laid off to Luker who had replaced Svanthorsson at half time but his diagonal shot just missed. Spellman broke out after a Town mistake but McEachren did well to track him and win the ball. Newport went close on 52 minutes. Town's defence struggled to clear Spellman's cross with Hudlin homing in. Wright then did brilliantly well to stop McLoughlin after a good probing pass from Evans on the right. On 57 minutes Newport attacked. Evans passed from the left to Hudlin who appeared to miss the ball, but the referee decided that Green had taken Hudlin first and not the ball. Penalty to Newport. Hudlin stepped up and sent his shot to Wright's left - saved! Newport continued to attack but eventually a cross too far ended the move. On 60 minutes Green surged down the right and was subject to a crunching tackle by Wildig who injured himself in the process. On 64 minutes Green himself received a yellow card for a Vinnie Jones-style tackle on Baker. The game was getting more physical. The resultant free kick from 25 yards was taken by McLaughlin who drove it straight into the wall. After the penalty miss and the increased intensity from both sides the crowd was now more animated. Town won a free kick on 70 minutes after Luker cut inside and was tripped. Townsend punched the ball clear. On 71 minutes the Town fans were further ignited when Thompson came on to replace McEachren. The team appeared uplifted also, starting with a great move up the left. Khouri and Hume combined. Khouri shot and forced a save from Townsend. Luker then found Hume as Town found themselves battling at the Newport end. Another good move saw Khouri finding Green on the right. Green crossed but Rose in the middle seemed to slip and couldn't make contact. Town seemed revitalised since the arrival of Thompson. On 78 minutes Obikwu replaced Rose. As Town continued to apply pressure, Hume missed out on a volley. Barrington then crossed. Townsend went up. So did Hudlin who nutted his own keeper, bringing the game to a stand. On 83 minutes Davies replaced Green. Another attack saw Khouri, Barrington and Obikwu combine. Newport had a rare attack on 83 minutes. Antwi's shot was blocked. On 87 minutes Davies was fouled. Town move the ball upfield but Obikwu who appeared to be clear was caught offside. Town then put together another move but with options available Warren misplaced his pass and the ball went out of play. Antwi then had a clear chance for Newport but missed the opportunity while Baker-Richardson failed to follow up the loose ball. A further opportunity for a free gripper presented itself as 8 minutes were added. Both sides were going for it. The play swung from end to end. A McLoughlin shot resulted in a breakaway for Town. Obikwu couldn't get through. Newport attacked again. Town defence cleared the ball, allowing Barrington to go on a lightening run up the left. He crossed. The ball came back to Barrington who combined with Khouri. Hume tried to wriggle into the box but was crowded out. Newport ran out but the move and the game were stopped for an injury to Warren. Both sides ran out of time to create the winning goal. So it ended: Newport County 0, Grimsby Town 0.

In the second half in spite of a couple of scares Town were the better side, becoming revitalised first after the missed penalty and then after the introduction of Thompson which triggered better interplay and quality of attacks. The energy level increased in the second half too but in the end Town couldn't secure the victory. So it was all even here today in the Principality of Wales but with players returning from injury and an energetic second half performance we can be encouraged.

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