Report from the away game at Newport
Carlisle had chances but in the end it was a lapse of concentration which allowed Newport's top scorer Scott Boden to grab the points on a difficult day in South Wales.
United started on the front foot and a ball forward from Atkinson brought a neat touch from Wyke. He exchanged passes with Ibehre and that made space for Gilliead to cross from the right. Jones had to clear as the low ball came in.
A long throw from Ellis followed and Raynes caused problems with a neat flick at the front post. Jones stepped in again to make his second important clearance within as many minutes.
Carlisle stayed forward and the Ellis long throw proved to be an effective avenue as another dipping projectile put the back line under pressure. A half clearance was picked up by Atkinson and he beat two before letting fly with a low shot which Day had to watch all the way.
Newport responded with a quick break through the middle and a cut back from Elito deserved better as the unmarked Ayina lost his balance and scuffed a poor effort away from the target. Ayina redeemed himself as the ball came back at him and Ellis had to stretch out a leg to stop Wilkinson from poking it home.
United suddenly had to defend and Gillespie did well to tip a stinging Wilkinson shot over the bar as a snapshot came in from distance.
The action switched back to the other end and Ellis twice delivered as Wyke and Ibehre lurked. Strong defending kept the visiting blue shirts at bay.
Gillespie had another save to make as Rodman played a one-two with Wilkinson to get to the edge of the United area. The keeper did well to close the angles as it headed for his bottom corner.
Carlisle wasted a chance to take the lead on 22 minutes when they carved their way through with excellent passing from Gilliead and Wyke. Ibehre had time as he broke clear but his cut back was too close to Day and the keeper was relieved to be able to mop things up.
There was relief at the other end for Gillespie as he misjudged the flight of a high ball which eventually dropped onto his line. He scampered across and got there a moment before Wilkinson could stab it in.
It was a good spell for Newport but Ayina was wasteful with a 23-yard free kick which flew straight at Gillespie. And Boden was left with his head in his hands when he was sent clean through moments later. He had the width of the target to aim at but he took his eye off the ball and dragged a poor shot well wide.
Wyke worked hard to win possession off Barrow tight in the corner and he was unlucky as he shrugged his way clear to thread it through for Gilliead to strike. Jones did enough to make sure the shot never came.
A superb inswinging free kick from Gillesphey then had Ellis and Raynes interested just ahead of the break. Ellis got there first but he couldn't keep his header down and it dropped just over the bar.
There was a long delay at the start of the second half as Scott Barrow received treatment following a clash on the left flank, and he was eventually stretchered from the field of play.
Newport came out of the enforced pause looking lively and they immediately took the lead when a ball to the back post was nodded back across the face of goal by Boden. He wasted no time in following that up with a run and he was rewarded with a tap in as Rodman sent it back to him on the proverbial plate.
Ayina and Rodman had shots blocked inside the area as they piled the pressure on and Boden hooked one wide from a tight angle with Carlisle looking slightly ragged at the back.
Comley blazed over from 22-yards as another Ellis long throw fell for the volley, and a free kick at the other end when Wilkinson was felled just outside the box brought an unbelievable save from Gillespie as Davies bent it low. Ayina stepped over it but the keeper made a fine reaction save as he saw it late.
Wilkinson was a whisker away from doubling the lead with a shot on the spin, but Newport tightened things up through the closing stages and they claimed their first home league win since the end of November as United were reduced to ten-men when Brandon Comley was shown a second yellow as the clock ticked into time added on.
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Goals
Newport - Boden (56)
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Bookings
Newport - Jones (57), Rodman (83), Byrne (90)
United - Ellis (25), Comley (41 & 90 - sent off)
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Teams
Newport County - Day, Holmes, Barrow (Donacien 54), Jones, Davies, Elito (Klukowski 71), Wilkinson, Ayina, Boden (Morgan 90), Rodman, Byrne. Subs - Beeney, Owen-Evans, Partridge, Dymond.
Carlisle United - Gillespie, Atkinson, Raynes, Ellis, Gillesphey, Gilliead (Hope 70), Kennedy, Comley, Sweeney (Joyce 66), Wyke, Ibehre (Asamoah 85). Subs - Hanford, Hery, Thompson, McQueen.
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Referee - Mr Lee Collins
Attendance - 2,106 (200 away fans)
