The EFL Community & Education Football Alliance (CEFA) launched on Wednesday 2nd September.
CEFA is a new football competition consisting of teams represented by EFL Club Community Organisations competing in regional leagues up and down the country. They are joined by a number of teams from Premier League Clubs.
Governed professionally by the EFL and sanctioned by The FA with due consideration of requirements laid down by FIFA and UEFA, students will be given the opportunity to participate in an exclusive, high quality and well organised league against other EFL Club representative teams, that focuses on participation rather than ability.
A total of nine leagues, including two Women’s divisions separated into North and South, will play host to a variety of Clubs across the United Kingdom.
Newport County AFC are one of 45 Club's from across the EFL and Premier League to be represented in this league.
A full list of all upcoming fixtures can be found HERE.
In Newport County AFC's first match in the new CEFA League, the Community side welcomed Exeter City to Llanwern High school for their first match
County in the Community's Dave Lewis, wrote the report:
Both teams started the game brightly but very few clear cut chances were created until the 10th minute when a great run from Connor Shaw allowed him space to be able to slot the ball into the bottom corner.
A dream start from County but it was just minutes before Exeter drew level. A cross from the right hand side found the visitor's number 9 who casually finished from 10 yards.
Late on in the first half a Joseph Baston shot from outside the box found the bottom corner to put County 2-1 up just before half time.
The second half was a totally different affair and Newport were very much on the front foot from the start. Quick passing, sharp shooting and energy meant that within 20 minutes, Newport found themselves 6-1 up with goals coming from Josh Williams, Luke Edgell, and Joseph Baston (2) which gave him a well-deserved hattrick.
Exeter, to there credit, kept plugging away and were rewarded with two quick fire goals to make it 6-3 but the County team showed resilience to nullify the Exeter threat.
To make matters worse for the visitors Lazelle Fontella bagged himself a first goal of the match thanks to some very good individual play which secured a 7-3 win for Newport.
Everyone at Newport would like to wish everyone involved at Exeter City FC all the very best for the rest of the season and we look forward to the return fixture later on in the season.