Newport County beat Hartlepool United 2-0 at Rodney Parade thanks to two first half goals courtesy of Omar Bogle and captain Mickey Demetriou.
Bogle opened the scoring with an expertly taken volley with his back to goal, to give us a deserved lead after an energetic approach to the game.
Demetriou doubled the lead just before half time, sliding in to beat the goalkeeper and make it back-to-back home wins.
Newport had the first big chance of the game when Bogle received a bouncing ball from Aaron Lewis. The in-form striker side footed it on the half volley and it took a safe pair of hands to palm clear.
Will Evans had a brilliant chance on five minutes. Cameron Norman’s looping cross came all the way to him on the left side of the area, but his powerful volley was a few yards over.
Hartlepool nearly went in front themselves seconds later, Callum Cooke latched onto a good through ball but after steadying himself, poked just wide of the right-hand post.
Evans was involved again on ten minutes, meeting a Norman long-throw with a right-footed swing, which deflected out for a corner although County were crying for handball.
The Exiles took a deserved lead on 17 minutes. Demetriou’s long throw was flicked on at the near post, it found Bogle, who was being hustled and harried, but his volley found the corner and left the goalkeeper no chance.
Bogle nearly added to his tally three minutes later, after some good County pressing, Charlie McNeill found his strike partner on the edge of the area, but his firm drive was beaten away with the supporters up on their feet.
McNeill then had a go himself from the resulting corner. It was recycled to Aaron Wildig who sent in a fine cross to the back post, where McNeill was lurking, and the striker stung the palms of the ‘keeper with a good strike.
McNeill nearly bent in a beauty on 29 minutes, cutting in from the left to send a fierce curling shot toward the top right, it just flew past the top corner though.
Demetriou made it two just before half-time, and it summed up our performance. A brilliant through ball from Lewis found Drysdale down the left flank, whose left-footed delivery found Demetriou in the box.
The skipper saw a shot blocked but reacted quickest, as every player had done all afternoon, and slammed home on the slide.
Newport’s first effort in the second half came after McNeill clipped one over the top for Wildig and the midfielder tried a shot on the spin, it was a tight angle though and went about a yard over.
The visitors spurned a golden chance to pull one back on 55 minutes. Mohamed Sylla met a low cross from the right six-yards out, but blazed over under pressure from Demetriou.
Drysdale nearly added to his assist with a goal of his own minutes later. Wildig’s set-piece delivery found Norman, who lost his arial battle. The ball landed to Drysdale whose side-footed volley went way over the bar.
County threatened again on 61 minutes and again it was our dominance in the air that caused problems.
Norman nodded it down for Bogle, who swung a leg at it on the volley which was blocked, then Drysdale tried an acrobatic overhead kick only to scuff it somewhat, and see it bounce harmlessly into the arms of Jacob Stolarcyzk.
Bogle wasted a great chance to make it three for two home games running when he raced through on goal, only to slam a volley wide of the left-hand post.
Hartlepool captain Nicky Featherstone attempted a late drive for his side, but his shot on 81 minutes was well blocked and Norman cleared under pressure from the away side.
Demetriou stepped out of defence to meet a James Waite cut-back in the 83rd minute. It was good play down the left from the substitute and Demetriou will feel he could have done better with the shot.
Hartlepool again missed a good chance late on, when replacement Jack Hamilton rounded Joe Day only to be stopped by the heroics of Norman on the line.
Featherstone struck in stoppage time, but dragged it wide although it did take a slight deflection.
Newport County XI: Day (GK), Norman (Farquharson, (88’), Baker, Drysdale, Demetriou (c), Evans, Bennett, Wildig (Waite, 81’), Lewis (Moriah-Welsh, 81’), Bogle, McNeill (Kavanagh, 74’).
Subs not used: Townsend (GK), Farquharson, Bowen, Rai.
Hartlepool United XI: Stolarcyzk (GK), Dodds, Murray (Foran, 27’), Pruti, Ferguson, Featherstone (c), Cooke (McDonald, 62’), Kemp (Finney, 62’), Jennings, Sylla (Crawford, 74’), Umerah (Hamilton, 75’).
Subs not used: Killip, (GK), Kiernan.
Referee: Darren Handley
Assistant referee: Marvyn Amphlett
Assistant referee: Samuel Ogles
Fourth official: Mark Derrien