This weekend, we welcome Salford City in what is the final home league game of the season.
Our league form against the Ammies has been hit and miss since they arrived in the Football League in 2019. So for the penultimate From the Archive of the 23/24 season, we are going back to our 3-0 FA Cup victory against Saturday’s visitors from 2020.
HIGHLIGHTS | Newport County v Salford City
The 20/21 season had gotten off to a flying start. When we welcomed Salford to Rodney Parade, we were sitting at the top of the league table, having only lost two of our opening 13 games. The first round of the cup saw us defeat Leyton Orient 2-1, and County fans, despite being unable to attend games, were dreaming of a promotion and another epic FA Cup run.
Salford, managed by Richie Wellens, had experienced a mixed start to the campaign. Despite coming into the season as an early favourite for promotion, they had failed to maintain consistency and were sitting in seventh place ahead of our game, having just sneaked into the playoffs.
The game got off to a flying start with Robbie Willmott forcing a handball out of Kevin Bercoe. Mickey Demetriou stepped up, but his effort was saved well down to the right by Václav Hladký.
The keeper nearly went from hero to villain when he misplaced a pass to Jamie Devitt. Hladky was able to recover quickly, saving the effort but knocking it into the path of Jamie Proctor, with the striker quickly being surrounded by Salford defenders, resulting in his effort going wide.
The game went into the break level, but there was an action-packed second half ahead. Salford’s Brandon Thomas-Asante received a red card two minutes into the half for a dangerous challenge on Tom King.
This would change the course of the game and open the floodgates. Jamie Proctor would open the scoring in the 56th minute, heading past Hladký from a Willmott cross.
We would get another chance from the penalty spot in the 75th minute when Berkoe brought down Scott Twine. Padraig Among then stepped up and slotted past Hladký to make the scoreline more comfortable.
There was still time for one more in stoppage time. Substitute Saikou Janneh danced his way into the Salford box before smashing it past Hladký to book our place in the third round in style.
