Newport made four changes to the team that had lost 0–3 to Brockenhurst midweek. Possibly the most surprising was the absence of veteran goalkeeper and captain, Gary Streeter, who had injured his foot in the match against Porchester. His replacement was young Island teenager, Ryan Hall, borrowed from the Aldershot development side. Further absences were Liam Newbold, Aiden Radford and Connor Kelly; Scott Sampson; Mark Taylor and Liam Triggs all returned to the side.
Newport began attacking the Allotment End on a good pitch in showery weather.
The first half was mostly quiet, but sprung to life six minutes before the interval, when ‘the Port’ took the lead. Charlie Urry, who seems to have developed a good understanding with Jared Wetherick, did some excellent work on the left flank, getting past two Bournemouth defenders, before floating the ball across the ‘the Poppies’ goalmouth, where it was met by a grateful WETHERICK, leaping high above the defender to divert the cross into the back of the net, and give Newport a one–nil advantage.
Only three minutes later, Newport were to increase their lead. From a corner on the left, Scott Sampson rose the highest to head the ball forward to DARREN POWELL on the far post, who then headed the ball into the back of the net, and give the home side a two-nil advantage.
‘The Poppies’ came close to pulling a goal back shortly before half-time, but were saved by replacement ‘keeper Hall, who made a spectacular, athletic, one-handed save to a powerful volley.
HALF-TIME: NEWPORT 2–0 BOURNEMOUTH
‘The Port’ started the second-half in the manner they ended the first—very much on the front foot. In the 46th minute, Mark Taylor got past a couple of players on the right, to cross the ball to Wetherick, who was only able to head the ball at the keeper. Two minutes later, Charlie Urry made a powerful shot inside the penalty area, which appeared to have been blocked by the arm of a Bournemouth defender, but no penalty was given.
There then followed a couple of minutes of drama, which had little to do with footballing skills. In the 56th minute, Bournemouth defender, C. Khider appeared to have tried to head-butt Newport centre-forward, Charlie Urry, for which the referee, had little hesitation in awarding him a straight red. There then followed a period of verbal altercations involving the Bournemouth bench, following which the Bournemouth physiotherapist was ordered to the dressing room as well.
In the 65th minute, Jared Wetherick nearly scored an individual goal, but, after dribbling past the ‘keeper, had his shot saved off the goal line. A period of sustained Bournemouth pressure followed, with Fawzi Saadi leading the charge for the visitors, coming close to scoring in the 66th and 68th minutes. Then, in the 72nd minute, Poppies substitute, Okoma KULISEWA, scored from the middle of the penalty area, following a goalmouth scramble, to reduce the deficit to two-one.
Bournemouth’s chances of earning a point from the encounter were then squandered through ill-discipline on their part, when Falkhal was sent off, apparently for making untoward comments towards the referee. Facing a team of nine men, ‘the Port’ saw out the final minutes in comparative safety.
FULL TIME: NEWPORT 2–1 BOURNEMOUTH
Newport (IoW): Hall, Turkington, Lamb (Yates), McDonough, Charlesworth, Sampson, Powell (Radford), Taylor, Triggs (Holmes), Urry, Wetherick
Referee: Sean Jenkins
Attendance: 91