Find out how the under-18s got on against Cheltenham Town this weekend...
The starting XI for the youth fixture was Elliott Mathews, Nathan Mathias, Joe Hunt, Harry Waterhouse, Ben Jones, Liam Angel, Daffyd Jones, Corey Sheppard, Connah Hughes, Nyall Gray, Rhys Kavanagh, with Cedrick Matundo, Sam James, Lewis Bamford, Kyron Tolland and Andrew Evans making up the substitutes.
The game started with a fast tempo with the home side looking to put their hard work from the training pitch into practise, with the squad going man for man and goalkeeper Elliott Matthews sweeping with confidence. Striker Connah Hughes missed a great chance, heading just over the bar in the opening period.
Just before the half hour mark Cheltenham opened the scoring with a placed shot into the corner of the net and went on to increase their lead in first half stoppage time.
The County players and staff discussed solving the problems during the break, as the score line didn’t suit the way the first forty-five minutes went. As both teams came back out for the second half, the Exiles used the half-time break to make a change, with Sam James replacing Harry Waterhouse.
The second half started as the majority of the first half went, with both team very evenly matched.
Rhys Kavanagh grabbed a goal for County on the hour mark, to give the Exiles a way back into the game.
Newport’s error from a set piece left a red and white shirt unmarked at the back post allowed Cheltenham to add a third goal, by looping the ball over goalkeeper Elliot Matthews, with just eleven minutes left in the game.
In the closing stages of the game Cedrick Matundo came close to scoring a late goal for the Exiles, hitting a close range effort straight at the Cheltenham goalkeeper.
FULL TIME: NEWPORT COUNTY AFC 1 - 3 CHELTENHAM TOWN