NEWPORT County AFC were once again left wondering what might have been after drawing 1-1 with Bradford City in League Two on Saturday afternoon.
The Exiles chalked another point up under Graham Coughlan after responding well to a double disappointment in the first half at Rodney Parade.
They felt that visiting goalkeeper Harry Lewis should have been sent off for handling outside his area and then fell behind after Andy Cook exploited some sloppy defending.
However, County got the leveller they deserved just past the hour when Mickey Demetriou’s cross went in at the far post with it officially recorded as a Liam Ridehalgh own goal.
The Exiles pushed for a winner but had to be content with a share of the spoils, leaving them 18th in the table with a 10-point gap to the relegation zone.
Here are some talking points from the clash with the Bantams…
CHANCES
Bradford headed to Newport with a formidable away record built on being miserly.
They had kept five clean sheets on their six-game unbeaten streak on the road but County created openings, albeit they didn’t test Lewis enough.
It started early on when Cameron Norman was worked into acres of space down the right and County kept pressing until the very end, when the right-back crossed for Will Evans to head over.
They had 12 shots in total and caused some problems for a well-drilled, organised Bradford side.
Once again County have proved against one of the divisions top teams that they are a better unit that the table suggests, which just adds to the frustration of the campaign.
HIT THE FRONT
It’s pleasing that County no longer let heads drop but it would be nice to not have to witness that strength of character.
Since the turn of the year they have fought back to share the spoils with Crawley, Rochdale, Stevenage, Walsall, Grimsby and now Bradford.
They beat Swindon by hitting the front but against both Barrow and Hartlepool it was a case of striking at the death.
County have tremendous spirit but it’s blatantly obvious they need to be more clinical to hit the next level.
REJUVENTATED
Nathan Moriah-Welsh has had an impressive first proper season in men’s football after heading to Newport on loan from Bournemouth.
The midfielder was a key figure for the first half of the campaign before his performances dipped, which is understandable given the stresses and strains of the League Two schedule are foreign to him.
Moriah-Welsh is a classy player and produced an lively display against the Bantams, pressing with energy and getting forward to create chances.
A break from the XI has probably done him the world of good and fingers crossed the young Cherries prospect, who will prosper from the presence of January signing Harry Charsley, can finish what has been a good spell at County strongly.
GETTING HIGH
A sign of the progress made since the early days of the Coughlan era is the way that the Aaron Lewis and Norman are influencing things high up the pitch.
Lewis leads County for assists this season with six in League Two, largely thanks to his set pieces, and he will wonder how he didn’t add to that tally after some dangerous balls.
He got into the box and picked up some dangerous positions down the left, especially in the second half.
Norman, who will know he should have made more of an early opening when left unattended, is a different sort of threat when in attack but his role in winning free-kicks in dangerous areas shouldn’t be underestimated.
County’s wide men are now more wing-backs than full-backs.
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