Football

Classy County outshine Aber

Pre-season friendly match

Aberystwyth Town 1 Newport County 2

ABERYSTWYTH Town boss Alan Morgan showed that he is setting his standards high this season as he pitted his players against Newport County in their first friendly at Park Avenue last weekend.
On the day, last season’s runaway Blue Square Conference South champions proved to be too strong for an experimental Aber, who fielded 20 players in total.
Aber’s new additions Craig Williams, Conall Murtagh and Mike Howard were all drafted into the starting line-up for the home side, along with the trialist striker Josh McAuley, from Tranmere Rovers.
Yet, Newport, resembling World Cup finalists Holland in their orange strip, had the lion’s share of first half possession, and having already had 13 training sessions this summer, they were physically superior to the Black and Greens.
Aber’s first half keeper, Steve Cann staked his claim for the number one jersey with a string of good saves to deny Guiseppe Sole, with his feet, as well as Danny Rose and lively Charlie Henry.
However, Newport opened the scoring on 27 minutes when Chris Todd used his head to good effect to nod home a free-kick by Sole.
New signing Craig Williams created Aber’s best chance as he ran through the visiting midfield, but fired just wide, and Cledan Davies was prominent down the left.
Yet, Bond headed the second after 38 minutes, from a Charlie Henry cross, and Aber keeper Steve Cann was working overtime to keep out several other efforts.
Aber boss Morgan made five changes at half-time, and six more midway through the second period as he took a look at his entire squad, including triallist defender Wayne Farmer, from Shrewsbury.
Newport, with Tim Harris and ex-Aber player Matthew Bishop standing in for manager Dean Holdsworth, also reeled in the changes, and it was the visitors who looked the most disrupted.
The impressive Murtagh saw a free kick saved by County’s replacement keeper Joe Perry, and Rob Evans was also denied after running through as the Seasiders started to show more fluency.
At the other end, Robbie Matthews headed just wide for County, while replacement Eddie Odhiambo also caused the Seasiders problems from midfield.
Aber managed to reduce the arrears on 79 minutes when Ollie Thorne held trialist Farmer in the box, and Graham Evans halved the deficit with an excellent penalty into the right hand corner.
Yet classy Newport were to have the final say when four minutes from time Sam Foley scored with a deft finish at the near post, following Tony Taggart’s knock down.
Aber boss Morgan will not be reading too much into the final result, but he was left with plenty of options to consider ahead of this weekend’s clash with Wrexham.

ABER: Cann (Roberts, 45), Williams (S Bowen, 45), Howard (J Evans, 72), Thomas (Farmer, 45), James (Baker, 72), Murtagh (Button, 72), Hughes (Passmore, 45), Morgan (T Bowen, 72), G Evans (R.Evans, 45), McAuley (G Evans 78), Davies (Williams, 72).
NEWPORT COUNTY: Blackburn (Perry, 45), Bignot (Odhiambo, 45), Warren (Thorne, 45), Todd, Rose, Rogers, Henry (Taggart, 45), Sole (Harris, 51), Hughes, Matthews (Bignot, 70), Bond (Foley, 45). Attendance: 378.

Pictured above: Roberts Evans in action for Aberystwyth against Newport County.