Match Details: Clevedon Town 1 Newport County 4

Clevedon Town 1 Newport County 4

They rightly say that you should never read much into the scoreline of pre-season friendlies but there was no question that on the night, Conference South club Newport County well deserved their win against a Clevedon side that were still, shall we say, getting to know each other with nine new faces in the squad. Newport looked a very sharp side on the night and went ahead after just 15 minutes when Craig Hughes finished well from just inside the penalty area. Although Christian Sylvester and Mike Symons had long range shots saved, it was fair to say that but for sloppy finishing Alsop should have given the Exiles a comfortable lead at half time.

The second half was only five minutes old when Sam O’Sullivan put the visitors 2-0 ahead when his fierce shot was well saved by Danny Greaves in goal but the Newport player reacted quickest to slot home the rebound and put Newport into a comfortable position. Substitutions then came thick and fast and inevitably the flow of the game changed but Newport were now in control although, ironically, Clevedon pulled a goal back on 64 minutes when Mike Symons hard work on the right was rewarded when County defender Ian Hillier deflected a cross into his own net to reduce the arrears. With the ever changing line-up in the second half it was difficult to really evaluate the trialists and it would be wrong to comment at this stage of the friendlies although one or two were clearly struggling against a good level of opposition. It was one of the Newport substitutes Charlie Griffin, who added two further goals for the visitors, on 66 and 70 minutes, to complete a 4-1 scoreline and a deserved victory for our guests from across the Bristol Channel. It could have been worse as club announcer, dear old Bob Morris, announced a fifth Newport goal, and a potential hat trick for Griffin, right at the end to the dismay of the home fans, having missed an offside flag in the gloom – is there a window cleaner in the house for the press box windows?

Starting line-up: Danny Greaves, Josh Brigham, Danny Haines, Christian Sylvester, Scott Hendy, Daine O’Connor, Geraint Bater, Mike Symons, Steve Cook and Dominic Graffagnino.

Subs Used: Adam Carpenter, Matt Thorne, Ben Murray, Lee Smyth, Mitchell Page and Chris Pike. (apologies if I missed any others..)

Goals: Clevedon: Hillier o.g.
Newport: Hughes, O’Sullivan, Griffin 2
Attendance: 203