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| No slip-ups against lively Lymington Hampshire Senior Cup Lymington Town 1 Newport IW 5 - From the Echo Newport Isle of Wight midfielder Gareth Keeping got one over on his dad Nick in a 5-1 Hampshire Senior Cup second-round win at Lymington Town last night. Keeping Junior scored the Islanders' second goal from the penalty spot to help sink the Hampshire League club where his father is chairman. Ashley Wright opened Newport's account with the goal of the game, turning and shooting home from 20 yards. Keeping's penalty came after Glenn Howes had been brought down and then Jamie O'Rourke ran onto a ball over the top to streak away for Islanders' third. Danny Hatcher netted his first goal for the club with a penalty awarded for handball and Simon Pilcher's bullet header set the seal on victory before Lymington replied with the last kick of the game. "I tinkered with the formation and we played very well," said Newport boss Steve Tate. "Alex Perry had a good game wide on the right and I played a lot of people in different positions." 'port undone by Scorey Spice Dr Martens Eastern Division NEWPORT 1, SITTINGBOURNE 2 Newport started with force and saw a couple of corners in the first two minutes..Sittingbourne almost took a 17th minute lead when Danny Lye put Paul Davies through but Davies hit the ball wide. A corner from Darren Smith was only half cleared by Arthur to Davies,but Davis again missed the Target. In the 30th minute Newport gained a deserved lead, much to the delight of the 275 crowd. Following a handball offence just outside the penalty-area, Adam LANG hammered home the resulting free-kick past Sittingbourne keeper Kevin Fewell in off a post. Jamie O'Rourke should have doubled the advantage three minutes later but his shot from a cross by Danny Hatcher, went just over. Fewell was forced off injured after a challenge from Taffy Richardson, the keeper landed awkwardly and twisted his ankle. This saw manager Mark Beeney, the former Leeds United keeper, go between the sticks. Within four minutes of the second half, Sittingbourne levelled. Bradley SPICE raced through unchallenged and beat Arthur with a right-footed shot. Newport thought they had the lead back, a Taffy Richardson goal bound header from a Lee Chudy cross was dramatically cleared off the line.Then Jon Holmes missed a free header following a Lang free-kick but missed the target. Newport were to rue the missed chances, in the 54th minute when SPICE was to nutmeg Lang and shot past Arthur. Glenn Howes fired in a vicious shot but Beeney was to save at the second attempt. Sittingbourne were to hold on for an historic win, their first in ten years despite a superb cross late on. from substitute Adam Barsdell that found Gareth Keeping who headed just over. Fleet hold firm as missed chances cost the 'port FLEET TOWN 1, NEWPORT 1 By John Hamon of the IW County Press HOW Newport did not win this Eastern Division clash on Tuesday is a mystery. Having gone a goal down, the Island equalised within 22 minutes but despite creating numerous chances, failed to hit the net again. Jamie O'Rourke almost put Newport ahead in the fifth minute but his left-footed shot went wide. However, two minutes later, Fleet took the lead. A cross from Steve Black found Craig LEEWORTHY, on loan from Havant and Waterlooville, who headed past Simon Arthur. Shea Saunders almost doubled their lead just after but the Newport keeper saved. Ashley Wright then had a chance for the visitors but shot over and shortly after the Newport striker put his effort wide from a pass by Taffy Richardson. The pressure finally paid off in the 29th minute. A free-kick by Ian Buckman was flicked on to WRIGHT, whose left-footed shot was deflected past Steve May in the Fleet goal. Newport then put the home side under intense pressure. O'Rourke, Gareth Keeping and Lee Chudy all went close. Just before the interval, Wright was desperately unlucky when his effort was cleared off the line. It was the same story after the break with Newport swarming round the Fleet goal. Wright shot wide, O'Rourke headed past the post and Richardson saw his shot saved. Keeping's shot was well saved by May and Newport should have taken the lead when from a great Buckman cross, Richardson with a free header failed to hit the target. Manager Steve Tait said later: "Although we played some good football it was very disappointing to miss so many chances. "We should have won handsomely but if you don't finish, then you can have no complaints." 'port back in winning groove NEWPORT 3, ERITH AND BELVEDERE 1 by John Hamon from the IW County Press Putting aside their midweek exit from the FA Cup at Harrow Borough, Newport bounced back with an Eastern Division victory against Erith with a controlled display Erith started strongly and almost took the lead in the fourth minute when Tony McKenzie and Adam Morrish combined well but the latter's shot from the edge of the area went narrowly over.In the 17th minute an Erith corner was only half cleared by Newport keeper Simon Arthur to Darren Penfold but his shot was just too high. Ian Buckman then came to Newport's rescue with a great tackle to deny the league's top scorer, Axpol Sodje, as he was about to shoot before Newport grabbed a controversial lead against the run of play in the 29th minute. Ashley WRIGHT appeared to be offside when he received a pass from Taffy Richardson and the striker went on to open the scoring. A minute later, Adam Lang was desperately unlucky when his 25-yard shot was deflected just wide. In the 35th minute, the St George's Park outfit doubled their advantage.Wright passed to Glenn Howes, who floated the ball to Jamie O'ROURKE to chest down and volley into the net. O'Rourke was nearly on the goalsheet again in the 40th minute but his audacious lob was well caught under the bar by Erith keeper Jani Seitsonen. Erith deservedly pulled a goal back in the 51st minute. Sodje beat the Newport defence and laid the ball off to Darren ADAMS, who made no mistake from close range. Shortly after a Lang free-kick was fumbled by Seitsonen but O'Rourke's effort hit a defender on the line. Newport made sure of the points in the 72nd minute. A pinpoint cross by Lee Chudy was firmly headed home by O'ROURKE from close range. Harrow go through as the 'port hand over "dream tie" Taken from www.harrowboro.com An attractive clash at home to Conference leaders Hereford United on October 25th is Borough's reward for finally seeing off the challenge of Newport in this FA Cup third qualifying round replay on Tuesday night. Had it not been for complacency, coupled with injury problems, they would surely have completed the task in Saturday's game on the Isle of Wight. But it isn't in Harrow's nature to do things the easy way, or to spare the accompanying agony for their supporters. And they were similarly inclined on Tuesday. With skipper Kevin McKenna already ruled out with persistent headaches after being concussed at Thurrock last week, Borough suffered a further blow before the kick off when Clemente Lopez sustained a groin injury in the warm up. Dean Marney filled in for McKenna, while Danny Moore, originally relegated to the bench, was reinstated to replace Lopez. Up front Robert Charles was preferred to David Ocquaye. As they had done at St George's Park, Borough dominated the opening period, and really should have had it sewn up by the break. But their finishing left a lot to be desired. Charles had a good early strike turned away for a corner by keeper Simon Arthur. But Fabio Valenti shot woefully across the face of goal when well placed, then scuffed another good chance wide, while Charles was badly off target with a free far-post header from Valenti's pinpoint cross. Just when it seemed that Borough ascendancy was set to go unrewarded, they finally went in front a minute into first half stoppage time. Ross Fitzsimon played a short corner to Danny Murphy and from the return he crossed an accurate ball to the far post was where impressive captain for the day Richard Goddard headed down into the net to put Harrow ahead. A two-goal lead hadn't been enough on Saturday, so one certainly wasn't and, with Borough visibly labouring after the break, some feared there might be a repeat performance. That anxiety was certainly not dispelled when the Port's skipper Stephen Richardson was only narrowly over the crossbar with a header from a Lee Chudy cross after 65 minutes - Newport's first real chance of the game. But Ocquaye's arrival as a replacement for Charles with 20 minutes to go gave Harrow a much-needed lift, and he should have scored within a minute of coming on. Valenti worried Newport defender Simon Pilcher into losing possession and Ocquaye went clear. But his first shot was blocked by Arthur, and his follow-up effort from an angle was wastefully fired wide of an open goal. However Ocquaye made amends on 75 minutes, ironically after desperate defending had prevented a Newport equaliser in an almighty scramble in the home area. Borough broke quickly out of defence, Marney threaded a great ball into the path of Ocquaye on the right and the striker blasted a fierce angled shot past the helpless Arthur into the far corner of the net. That effectively ended Newport's resistance and in the closing stages Harrow came close to adding to their lead with Arthur scrambling to save another firm header from Goddard, while Stuart Elliott only just cleared the bar with an audacious 40-yard effort. Victory put a £5,000 FA bonus into the Borough coffers, to go with the £3,750 they earned from the second qualifying round win over Flackwell Heath. There's another £10,000 up for grabs when they meet Hereford, but The Bulls will offer a decidedly sterner test, and Borough will need to cut out the profligacy displayed against Newport if they are to get their hands on more cash - along with a place in the first round proper. IT'S A SHOT AT THE TOP AS NEWPORT GET A CHANCE TO PLAY HEREFORD UNITED If even there was an incentive to play their hearts out and get a win tomorrow night at Harrow Borough then they were given it Today in the FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round draw. The Islanders will, if all goes well in Middlesex tomorrow evening have the task of dispatching the Conference League leaders and Ex-league side Hereford United. The Islanders will remember the last meeting of the clubs ironicly in the FA Cup, as the 'port trailing 2-0 with about 15 minutes to go, turned the result on its head and run out as 3-2 winners in the season 1998/99 FA CUP Fourth Qualifying Round draw......... Ties to be played on Saturday, October 24th 2004. Newcastle T/Ossett Albion v Stalybridge Celtic Dunston Federation Brewery v Chorley/Lancaster C Ashton Utd v Grantham T Blyth Spratans v Chester C Bromsgrove R v Warrington T/Whitby T Burton Albion v Buxton Morecambe v Shrewsbury T Telford Utd v Tamworth Scarborough v Hinckley Utd Farsley Celtic v Gainsborough Trinity Accrington Stanley v Leigh RMI Northwich Victoria v Halifax T Nuneaton Borough/Runcorn FC Halton v Bradford PA/Vauxhall Motors Shildon v Eastwood T/Stocksbridge Park Steels Leyton v Histon/Newmarket T Eastbourne Borough v Stevenage Borough Basingstoke T/Bracknell T v Barnet Thame Utd v Farnborough T Grays Athletic v Margate Folkestone Invica/Welling Utd v Weston-super-Mare/Chesham Utd Hayes/Boreham Wood v Kettering T Forest Green Rovers v Aldershot T Bromley/Thurrock v Dagenham & Redbridge Newport IOW/Harrow Borough v Hereford Utd Maidstone Utd/Bishop's Stortford v Gloucester C Salisbury C v Lymington & New Milton Cambridge C v Ford Utd Mangotsfield Utd v Canvey Island Hornchurch v Paulton Rovers East Thurrock Utd/AFC Sudbury v Woking Cirencester T v Crawley T Exeter C v Gravesend & Northfleet HARROW HANG ON AS THE PORT COME BACK FROM 2 DOWN Newport 2 Harrow Borough 2 A hard-fought Cup-tie ended with Newport having to make a midweek trip to Middlesex. The Result would have been taken after twenty minutes when we were two goals down, the truth is however we are disappointed not to have capitalised on some late domination. Harrow meanwhile will also be ruing their early control that was wrestled from them, but they will be relieved that they survived the closing stages with ten men. So it's both sides in the hat for Mondays draw, both sides hoping no doubt for a money spinning home draw, to go with the £5000 prize for the winner of this contest. Ryman Premier side, Harrow Borough started off in fine form. The early pressure saw surging runs from David Ocquaye and Fabio Valenti led to nothing but gave confidence to the strikers that they had the beating of the home defence. Harrow (un-suprisingly) went in front on 11 minutes. A short corner played to Stuart Elliott was crossed to Perry Norman, the ‘boro-man chested down and rifled a shot past Arthur from 12 yards. Moments later, the ‘port survived another scare, this time Goddard soared above the Islander’s defence to head another corner just wide. This was a warning shot as Harrow’s pressure led to a doubling of the lead. Steve Dogbe’s through ball sent Ocquaye racing in on goal. The ‘port glovesman Arthur came out to him,chesting the ball away, however ball fell to Valenti who folowed up with chipped shot over the keeper from 25 yards. Fitzsimon had a shot was blocked, Abdulai Yoki shot wide, and a free-kick saw an Elliott effort saved as Harrow sought a third goal. The Borough were to end the last 15 minutes or so on the back foot as Newport started to get back into the game. Newport were to get the all important break through right on the stroke of half-time. From a free-kick, Chudy got past Elliott on the left and crossed to the near post as Keeping was waiting to neatly hit the ball past Karamoko. Some tough talking was called for from the ‘port boss Tate, the second half was to be pretty much played as the first half finished, with Newport taking the game to our guests. It took just 2 minutes for Newport to signal that the game wasn’t over, Pilcher heading the ball off the outside of the post from a corner. Arthur was called into action and saved Valenti’s shot from a tight angle, in what was to prove to be a rare Harrow attack. With the port now in command the goalmouth action was now happening more and more at the Harrow end. In the 73rd minute Adam Barsdell linked up with Danny Hatcher and his cross from the right missed several Islanders but the ball found Chudy, running in at the far post and rammed in the equaliser into the roof of the net. The scorer had just been anounced when Harrow might have retaken the lead when a Ross Fitzsimon cross found Dogbe’s, but he headed over from six yards. Ashley Wright was through on the Harrow goal in the 79th minute having been set free from the Newport half. The Islander hit the ball goalwards as Karamoko rushed out his penalty area and when he handled the attempted chip, his red card was inevitable. The Harrow side’s Dean Marney took over the keeper’s jumper, and had the task of organising the Harrow defence and was given an immediate escape as Lang’s free-kick hit the bar and Howes blazed the rebound over. The home side now wanting to get the winner saw both Wright bringing a good save from Marney after a sharp turn. The part-time keeper was then to make an even better save, this time turning Hatcher’s goal-bound shot around the post. The ‘port were then to nearly pay the price in the last minute as Borough nearly snatched the win at the death, when Robert Charles’s glancing header from Elliott’s free-kick shaved the far post. DRAGONS SNAP UP THEIR CHANCES FA TROPHY PRELIMINARY ROUND WIVENHOE TOWN 3 NEWPORT 1 Newport’s trek to the Colchester region saw a very below par losing performance and the chance to claim the £1000 prize money that went with it. The travelling support were to come away disappointed, in what should have been a comfortable match to win. The first five minutes of this tie, the first between the clubs, gave the Newport followers every reason to feel that they were to go home happy. The starting line-up was the same as the one that put Tiverton out of the FA Cup the week before. Newport were content to play the ball around and boss the play. The Winenhoe Dragons were to soon start to break up the passes from the ‘port and create some chances that came from fundimental errors. The hosts created a number of attacks that the Newport glovesman dealt with in the same confident manner that was evident against Tiverton. The more often Newport tried to get forward the more passes went astray and it was with one such pass that led to the first Winenhoe goal. The pass was picked up and and as the play headed towards the ‘port goal, the port conceeded a foul on the edge of the penalty area. The dragons Ross Taylor ran up to take the kick, his cleanly struck shot curled around wall and passed the Newport ‘Keeper into the net. Newport continued to press forward but found it difficult to get the final ball on target. The half was coming to a close as Adam Barsdell had the best effort of the half, after beating a midfielder, Barney let fly from 25 yards only to see the diving Matt Greenley in the Dragons goal tip the ball onto the bar and see it go out of play. The second half started brightly for the ‘port and the travelling supporters had something to cheer, after some good play from Ian Buckman and Danny Hatcher, the ball reached Jamie O’Rourke who lobbed the ball over the Wivenhoe keeper and into the net for a 48 minute equaliser. Newport were to mount a series of attacks that came to nothing, chances came and went with them. The yellows continued to push to try and gain the lead and were to be caught out once again, this time another pass was picked up by Ben Fuller who passed to Darren Bethell, this time drawing the ‘port glovesman off his line to chip the ball over him and giving the home side the lead once again. Bethell was to see a shot cleared off the line shortly after this and another attack, Simon Pilcher clearing the ball. The Islander were now pressing to equalise once again, Hatcher, O’Rourke and Barsdell all had efforts on goal that failed to beat the impressive Greenley, attack after attack came, but to no avail. Time was running out fast and the ‘port continued to attack pushing more and more people forward, the ball was cleared towards the Newport goal, Bethell run at the Newport who brought down the Wivenhoe attacker. The travalling fans held their breath and we’re to let out a sigh of relief as the ref brought out a yellow card, acknowledging the presence of Pilcher and Lang behind the keeper at the time of the foul. The ball was on the penalty spot as the watch showed 88 minutes and Nick Haydon ensured that trip back was to be an unhappy one, as hit the spot kick home. |
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| Simon Pilcher's diving header hits the outside of the post |