Newport County AFC v Barrow League Two match report

Manager James Rowberry will continue to stick to his belief that results will come for his side but there was little sign of a revival at Rodney Parade as Josh Gordon scored either side of half-time to give high-flying Barrow a comfortable victory in the south Wales sun.

Rowberry made five changes from the 1-0 defeat at Stevenage in midweek with Mickey Demetriou, Nathan Moriah-Welsh, Adam Lewis and Thierry Nevers returning to the XI and Hayden Lindley making his first league start.

James Clarke, Matty Dolan, Aaron Lewis and Will Evans dropped to the bench, while Declan Drysdale was not in the matchday squad. Robbie Willmott and Lewis Collins also missed out.

That switch in personnel meant a change in formation from 3-5-2 to 4-2-2-2 with Lindley and Scot Bennett in front of the back four and Moriah-Welsh and James Waite supporting Nevers and Omar Bogle up front.

Huw Evans Picture Agency (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

Newport County v Barrow - Sky Bet League 2 - Nathan Moriah-Welsh of Newport County in action. Picture: Huw Evans Picture Agency

Barrow included some familiar faces with 35-year-old Sam Foley in the heart of their midfield and Billy Waters, another former Exiles, among the substitutes.

Nevers saw a goal-bound free-kick blocked in the second minute but it was the visitors who made the brighter start and carved out the best opportunities in the opening stages.

Harrison Neal sent a half-volley wide from the edge of the area before Niall Canavan headed just over the top from close range and Foley curled a shot high and wide from distance.

And there was a big let-off for the Exiles in the 20th minute when Ben Whitfield picked out Josh Gordon at the far post after a quick counter-attack but the striker fired over the bar from close range.

That seemed to spark County into life, and they had a good spell of their own – dominating possession but failing to record a shot on target.

Bennett made an interception and, spotting Barrow goalkeeper Paul Farman off his line, tried his luck from 40 yards out but his effort was just wide.

Nevers then headed wide at the far post from Lewis’s cross and Lewis’s cross clipped the bar shortly afterwards after good link-up play with Nevers.

And Canavan slid in calmly to clear Bogle’s cross-shot almost off the line.

But Rowberry’s men went in 1-0 down at the break as they once again conceded the first goal of the match – for the eighth time in nine league matches.

Priestley Farquharson was caught out by a ball over the top in the final minute of the half and Gordon bundled the ball in under pressure from the defender and goalkeeper Nick Townsend.

Only once so far this season have County recovered from a goal down in League Two to take the three points – against Tranmere Rovers last month – and, in truth, they didn’t look like altering that record in the second half.

Moriah-Welsh blazed a shot over the top from 20 yards 10 minutes after the restart, but any hopes of a comeback were ended by a mistake from Lindley just before the hour mark.

The 20-year-old Aston Villa loanee had his head in his hands after needlessly bringing down Robbie Gotts in the area and Gordon sent Townsend the wrong way from the spot to make it 2-0.

“You’re not special, we lose every week,” sang a section of the dispirited home crowd to the handful of travelling fans at Rodney Parade.

Rowberry and his team have so far been able to rely on staunch support from the majority of the amber army, but patience certainly appears to be wearing thin after another frustrating afternoon when County once again failed to deliver in NP19.

Newport County (4-2-2-2): N Townsend; C Norman, P Farquharson, M Demetriou, Adam Lewis; S Bennett, H Lindley (C Zimba, 78); J Waite (W Evans, 69), N Moriah-Welsh; O Bogle, T Nevers.

Substitutes not used: J Day, S Bowen, J Clarke, M Dolan, Aaron Lewis.

Booked: N Moriah-Welsh.

Barrow (4-3-3): P Farman; T Warren, S McClelland, N Canavan, M Kenlock; H Neal (T White, 84), S Foley, R Gotts; B Whitfield (B Waters, 77), J Gordon (J Rooney, 88), J Kay (D Moyo, 77).

Substitutes not used: J Lillis, G Ray.

Booked: J Gordon.

Scorer: J Gordon 45, 59 pen.

Referee: J Oldham.

Attendance: 3,793.