County held by Stevenage, but have set benchmark with second half display

Saturday’s entertaining 2-2 draw with Stevenage might ultimately be remembered for a pair of disappointments – a sparse crowd and a late equaliser – but the positives outweighed the negatives for Terry Butcher’s men.

While the first half was arduous going, County even in a dreadful contest for 35 minutes and then decidedly second best, meaning they trailed at the interval, lucky to be just 1-0 down, before being transformed at the interval.

The second half display from Newport was exceptional, pace, power and purpose displayed from a group of players who have been together for weeks, rather than seasons.

Full back Danny Holmes was eye-catching, his forays down the right and ability to hit the byline creating opportunity after opportunity for Medy Elito to drift inside and collect in dangerous areas.

Scott Barrow and Seth Nana Twumasi were also assured with County having more width and pace than we’ve seen for a very long time after four years of deploying a wingback system.

In Mark Byrne, their skipper, County possess a player talented enough to dictate a game when the going is good, and that’s exactly what he did as Teddy Sheringham’s men briefly wilted due to Newport’s relentless attacking play.

Striker Scott Boden is looking good business, a rounded player with good touch and poise, who also has the strength to play others in, suggesting he’ll thrive as both a number nine, and a ten, depending on his strike partner.

All three of County’s teens did well, with Aaron Collins rightly grabbing the plaudits and the back page headlines for his goal and assist.

However, it was a passage of play on just two minutes that most caught the eye, Collins tackling defender Dean Wells midway inside Stevenage’s half and launching County onto a counter attack, the strength and desire to work without the ball suggesting he’s worked on the weaker aspects of his game.

Because for pace and trickery, Collins isn’t going to be found wanting, and his poise in scoring his debut goal was also highly encouraging.

The nature of the goals conceded will linger in the memory banks for young masters Poole and Parselle, Regan and Kieran, County’s central defensive pair with a combined age of 35.

Poole was superb and Parselle very good, bar for a couple of costly lapses, and both seem to have a very bright future.

In truth, County will kick themselves for not winning the game, especially as Stevenage tried to gift it to them even after equalising.

After a prosaic first period where caution was key and neither side looked threatening, Stevenage edged the advantage, scoring six minutes before the break and dominating until the half time whistle blew.

The goal was sickeningly simple from a County perspective, the Exiles conceding possession deep in the Stevenage area and over-committing, to the point that a routine punt upfield sent Dipo Akinyemi clear and he made no mistake with a calm finish, though the same player squandered two further chances before the interval, blazing over as Sheringham’s side poured on the pressure. They might have killed off County.

However, from the hour mark, Newport looked a side transformed, dominating their opponents and delighting their supporters with quick and purposeful attacking play.

The warning signs were there for Teddy Sheringham.

Holmes carved the visitors apart, but striker Boden was denied by a terrific block. His header was then well saved by Chris Day. But Newport were knocking on the door louder and louder.

From a run on the other flank by Scott Barrow, County managed to restore parity. Medy Elito combined with the ex-Port Talbot defender and his pinpoint cross was headed home by Collins, sparking a celebration from the youngster that will live long in the memory. Suddenly the momentum was all with County.

Medy Elito fired just over with a piledriver as Newport swarmed all over Boro, a goal seemingly inevitable as the pressure grew and grew.

With eleven left on the clock, it arrived, another great run by Collins leading to chaos in the visiting area and Boden was on hand to produce a cool finish, rooting Chris Day by planting the ball perfectly into the bottom corner.

County seemed to have survived their late scare as Brett Williams squandered a golden late chance to earn a point, blazing wide from the corner of the six-yard box, but they allowed Stevenage to level in the first of five minutes of injury time.

Mark Hughes’ feint touch after Newport failed to deal with a long throw made it 2-2, a kick to the guts for County after such a fine revival, but they should have still won it.

Poole was denied by Day in a frantic counter-attack that ended with Elito volleying wide, but with a huge man advantage on the counter-attack, Poole had to pass with only the glory of scoring on his mind. It was a mistake borne of immaturity, and you’d certainly forgive him that.

And if County can continue to replicate Saturday’s second half display, we’ll forgive an awful lot. A benchmark has been set.

Newport: (4-4-2): Day, Holmes, Barrow (Hayden 77), Poole, Parselle, Twumasi, Elito, Byrne, Klukowski, Collins, Boden (Owen-Evans 90)

Subs not used: Taylor, Shephard, Bamford, Jones, Angel

Booked: None

Stevenage (4-3-3): Day, Franks, Okimo, Hughes, Wells, Parrett, Schumacher (Conlon 82), Lee (Gorman 82), Williams, Akinyemi (Hitchcock 75), Pett

Subs not used: Kettings, Casey, Storer, Ogilve

Booked: Pett, Williams

Referee: Nicholas Kinseley

Attendance: 2521