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County show fighting spirit to add Pompey to list of cup scalps in thriller

JOY: Will Evans celebrates firing County level
JOY: Will Evans celebrates firing County level

NEWPORT County AFC are dreaming of facing another Premier League big gun after adding Portsmouth to their list of scalps in a Carabao Cup thriller at Rodney Parade.

The Exiles took the spoils 3-2, just as they did at Luton in the first round, with two equalisers and a James Waite winner, just like at Kenilworth Road.

It was a madcap first half that ended 2-1 to the League One visitors and could, should, have featured more goals.

County started with real intensity – and the pace rarely dropped – but were hit by an opener by Ronan Curtis against the run of play.

Will Evans levelled after 13 minutes with his first goal for the Exiles but Pompey hit the front again through Curtis with 24 gone.

That was somehow the final goal of a half featuring eight shots apiece, a glut of good chances and an awful lot of gaps in the defences.

The theme continued after the restart with Aaron Wildig heading in his first goal in amber in the 49th minute before Waite was the hero again with a cracker.

South Wales Argus:
South Wales Argus:

It was a hugely entertaining and open game played in front of a raucous crowd and victory puts County into the hat with the Premier League sides that are in European action.

Previous manager Michael Flynn spearheaded lucrative cup runs and now James Rowberry’s side could mirror that after digging deep for a win.

Teams both get 45 per cent of gate receipts in the League Cup and now it could be the Etihad, Anfield, Old Trafford, the Emirates… or maybe just Morecambe.

County made nine changes to the starting line-up that ended the home losing streak with a 2-1 win against Tranmere.

Defenders Cameron Norman and Declan Drysdale were the survivors but what positions they would line-up would only become clear at 7.45pm, with the Exiles’ selected personal meaning they could stick with their 3-5-2, return to the 4-2-2-2 of last season or even give 4-3-3 a crack.

As it turned out, it was the midfield box featuring fit-again Robbie Willmot sitting with Sam Bowen behind Aaron Wildig, also back from injury, and Lewis Collins.

That question answered, County promptly got on the front foot and went close to an opener three times inside five minutes.

First central defender Priestley Farquharson was denied by a super Josh Griffiths save after nodding Norman’s up and under on target.

Evans swiftly flicked a whipped Bowen cross a yard wide and then Haji Mnoga was close to lobbing into his own net with a tackle after Wildig had chested the ball down in the box.

For all that effort, County got caught with a sucker punch after eight minutes when Portsmouth somehow had two men free from halfway and Curtis opted against using Dane Scarlett to open the scoring.

Suddenly the visitors were on top and it took a smart Joe Day block to prevent Scarlett making it 2-0, a save made even bigger just seconds later.

Lewis Collins drove at the defence, went on the outside and crossed from the left with the ball dropping to Evans via Chanka Zimba.

The left-footed summer signing from Bala slotted with his right for his first goal as a professional.

The pace remained hectic with shots galore and defensive holes, meaning it was no surprise when Portsmouth struck again after 24 minutes.

Jay Mingi produced a lovely bit of skill in midfield before playing in Scarlett down the right, whose cross eventually fell for Curtis to slam into the top right corner with a fine finish.

It should have swiftly been 3-1 only to Joe Pigott to hit the top of the bar and then fire over in a one-on-one.

It was then County’s turn for some efforts with Zimba and Collins denied by good blocks before Farquharson forced Griffiths into a routine save.

There was still time for a big Pompey chance but Day was off his line swiftly to block impressively from Scarlett.

It was 2-1 after a frantic, entertaining but infuriating half of football, and it was soon 2-2.

Adam Lewis crossed from the left and Wildig deftly flicked a header past Griffiths from around the penalty spot.

Level then almost 3-2 Pompey. Day was called into action a minute after the equaliser, getting down to his right to deny Curtis a hat-trick.

County introduced Mickey Demetriou for Farquharson on the hour, a change no doubt planned after his return from injury but also one to add solidity at the back.

He was followed onto the pitch after 70 minutes by midfield duo Nathan Moriah-Welsh and Waite for Wildig and Bowen.

It didn’t take long for Waite to make his mark with a driving run at the defence and accurate shot low into the bottom left, a strike that had echoes of his cracker at the same end against Bristol Rovers last season.

County were far more assured in the second half with their midfield less leaky and they remained on the front foot in search of a clincher.

Evans tested Griffiths with a powerful shot from outside the area before the game went into six minutes of added time.

There were handbags after a Drysdale foul – potentially leading to an FA charge – but County held firm for a wonderful win.

County: Day, Norman, Farquharson (Demetriou 60), Drysdale, Adam Lewis, Willmott (captain), Bowen (Moriah-Welsh 70), Wildig (Waite 70), Collins, Zimba (Bogle 82), Evans.
Substitutes not used: Townsend, Dolan, Aaron Lewis, Nevers, Stokes.
Goals: Evans, Wildig, Waite.
Yellow: Willmott, Evans, Drysdale.

Portsmouth: Griffiths, Swanson, Mnoga, Robertston (captain), Ogilvie, Hackett, Mingi, Lowery, Curtis, Pigott, Scarlett.
Substitutes: Oluwayemi, Pack, Freeman, Dale, Rafferty, Raggett, Jacobs, Payce, Dockerill.
Goals: Curtis (2).
Yellow: Raggett, Mingi, Curtis.

Refere: John Busby.