FOOTBALLNewport 4, Alton 2
BRACES apiece for two Newport attackers ensured the Island side earned three points against lowly Alton Town, in an entertaining Sydenhams Wessex League, Premier Division match, albeit lacking in overall quality.
Latecomers among the 148 crowd would have missed a composed Newport attack, which resulted in a second-minute lead.
Ross Gregory won a 50-50 ball inside the Alton half, accelerated into space and beat an Alton player as Newport players held their run, Tom McINNES made a timely advance on to the Newport full back’s ball through and fired a shot inside an overexposed near post.
Derek Ohren, banned from the dugout as part of a disciplinary, did not have the best view of it but had a full view of Alton’s 34th minute equaliser as Simba Mlambe, a thorn in Newport’s side throughout the first period, raced clear of the Port defence.
The pacy Alton forward then deceived Gary Streeter with a touch before shooting centrally into the net but, in less than ten minutes, Newport were back in front.
As Matt Evans delivered a sumptuous cross from deep on the right McINNES jumped at the near post to glance a header high into the net.
Ohren’s men began the second half with the same positivity as the first with an early goal in the 48th minute.
Iain SEABROOK’S edge-of-the-box shot was dropped by the keeper and, with the linesman’s flag raised for a goal, Newport celebrated.
In the 75th minute, the visitors hit a second through Paul Preston, but SEABROOK bagged his second to give Newport greater comfort with a stoppage-time goal, as he seized on a loose ball and went on to round the keeper.
Newport: Streeter, Gregory, Stay, Insley, Williams, Scovell, Powell, Newnham, McInnes, Evans, Seabrook Subs: Knowles, Simpkins, Ovnik, Hart, McEnery.