MATCH PREVIEW: A look ahead to the Tuesday night game

Newport County are next up at Brunton Park

9 March 2020

Newport head to Carlisle having got themselves back to winning ways on Saturday with a 1-0 victory over Morecambe.

Padraig Amond It was a much-needed result for the Exiles as they went into the weekend home fixture off the back of two heavy and morale-sapping away defeats.

A five-goal mauling at the hands of Oldham came off the heels of a 4-2 defeat at Grimsby's Blundell Park, two results which were part of a tough month in February which had brought a run of five defeats, one draw and a solitary victory from seven league fixtures.

Currently mid-table, but 12 points off the play-off places, the two games Newport have in hand - of which this is one - will be pivotal in setting the tone for the remainder of the campaign, with Tuesday night's visitors knowing that a return to a more consistent run of form could easily see them get involved as we march on towards April.

There are absolutely no surprises when it comes to picking out the players to watch - Padraig Amond continues to find the net with predictable regularity, and he has a healthy 12 strikes to his name.

The ever-dangerous Jamille Matt has six, and Tristan Abrahams and Joss Labadie are backing that up with five and four respectively.

It'll be another typical League Two test, and Chris Beech made it clear after the Colchester game on Saturday that he's looking for a positive response from everybody to what was a disappointing afternoon.

Let's get behind the lads and push on again - we'll see you there.

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From the head coach ...

Speaking ahead of the weekend game, Chris Beech said: "They've got some physical players and they’ll be coming here wanting to win the game, that goes without saying. What we want is a response to Saturday's result.

"I'm looking for a response from everybody. The players need to support each other in that and I want the fans to support the efforts that are going on. If we're all pulling together it's all part and parcel of the ingredients of the cake we're trying to make.

"We've got to make sure we control our parts, make sure we recover and plan correctly for Newport, and that we pick a team that can compete and get the better of them.

"We want to get back to winning ways but you can only ever do that through hard work. Everything will be done properly and hopefully that will translate onto the pitch."

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Did You Know?

+ The Exiles reached the quarter-finals of the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1980/81, having qualified after winning the Welsh Cup.

+ Newport were originally nicknamed ‘The Ironmongers’ due to the steel works present in the area during the early 20th century.

Newport

+ In 1970/71, Newport set an unwanted Football League record after going 25 games without a win at the start of the season.

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Head to Head

These teams have met a total of eleven times since the Exiles came back into the Football League under their new guise but they have, of course, met many, many other times over the years.

Today's visitors have become a bit of a bogey team for the Blues recently, with just two of those eleven meetings going our way.

	Carlisle wins	Draws	Newport County wins
League	2	2	7
Total	2	2	7

The last time we played Newport was in October 2019 when a last minute goal from George Nurse condemned the Blues to an away defeat.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

Prior to that we came together at Rodney Parade in March 2019 and it turned out to be a day for the home side as Ade Azeez and Padraig Amond netted either side of the break to send the Blues home with nothing to show for their efforts.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

Our meeting with the Exiles in November 2018 looked comfortable as Jamie Devitt netted twice to give the Blues a two-goal cushion. Padraig Amond had something to say about that as he pulled the visitors right back into it just before the break. Dan Butler thought he'd earned his side a point with just three minutes left to play, but Danny Grainger bagged himself a goal of the month award and a victory for his team with almost the last kick of the game.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

Both of the 2017/18 season games were draws, with the December trip to Rodney Parade seeing the sides having to settle for a share of the spoils off the back of a 3-3 stalemate. Luke Joyce sparked a much better second half for United when he scored from very close range immediately after the break, but it was nip and tuck and strikes from Tom Miller and Kelvin Etuhu were needed to make sure Carlisle had something to show for their efforts.

Watch the highlights from that game here ...

The 17/18 league season ended when these two came together in May right here on our own patch. Mark Ellis put us ahead with less than a quarter of an hour gone, but Padraig Amond restored parity just before the break, and that was just about that as the teams played their way to full time and a well earned summer break.

Watch the highlights from that game here ...

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Man in the middle

Our match official for this game is Mr Graham Salisbury. Graham has taken charge of 27 games so far this season and has shown 84 yellow cards and two reds.

We last had him as the man in charge for the visit of Swindon Town last month [February 2019]. Edmonds-Green put the Robins ahead, but Aaron Hayden pounced with the equaliser just after the hour mark. There were no names taken on the day.

He was also the referee for the November 2019 Leasing.com Trophy group game at Morecambe. Jarrad Branthwaite scored for United, but goals from Tutte, Wildig and Conlan kept the points at the Globe Arena.

Prior to that he was the man with the whistle for our long trip to Forest Green in March 2019. Nathan Thomas bagged our goal in a 1-1 draw and Tom Parkes was the only name to be taken on the night.

Back to 2018 and he was in charge for the 4-0 away victory at Swindon, just before Christmas. Ashley Nadesan, Regan Slater (2) and Jamie Devitt scored our goals and there were no United names taken on the day.

The first time we saw him in the 2018/19 season was on the opening day when we made the long trip south to face Exeter City. Nicky Law and Jonathan Forte put the Grecians two goals to the good with less than 30 minutes played, but Richie Bennett gave the Blues hope when he struck back just before the break. United battled away, but a late sucker punch from Tristan Abrahams kept the points in Exeter. Jamie Devitt was the only name taken on the day.

A regular referee of our games over the years [including the Wembley final against Southampton in 2010] still one of his busiest evenings with us was for the Checkatrade Trophy group game at Fleetwood in August 2017. A total of 10 cards were shown - including a red for Harvey Rodgers - with Danny Grainger, Mark Ellis, Jamie Devitt, Gary Liddle, Tom Miller and Hallam Hope going in the book for the Blues.

Referee - Graham Salisbury
Assistant Referee 1 - Natalie Aspinall
Assistant Referee 2 - Matthew Parry
Fourth Official - Paul Newhouse

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Ticket information

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Match Reports

MATCH REPORT: United 2 - 0 Newport

Report from the Tuesday night home game

10 March 2020

United were back on home turf for the second time in just four days when they welcomed Newport County to Brunton Park.

Boss Chris Beech made two changes from the Saturday fixture with Jack Bridge and Josh Kayode in for Jon Mellish and the injured Harry McKirdy.

United lost the toss and were made to kick towards the Warwick Road End in the first half, and they mounted the first attack of the night when Patrick showed excellent footwork on the halfway line. Alessandra, Mike Jones, Gethin Jones and Watt got involved before Patrick pulled wide to deliver a cross. Kayode got there first, but his header was easy to save.

Newport responded with a move through the heart of midfield which saw Gorman run from deep. It opened up in front of him but his shot on the run angled well wide.

The Blues were ahead with just five minutes on the clock when Watt placed the ball for a corner kick. Patrick peeled off his marker to meet it, and his header left King with no chance as it looped into the bottom corner.

Fleet of foot at the other end saw Green work his way into the Carlisle box, and he won a corner as his run was checked. An inswinger from Willmott caused all kinds of problems, but efforts from Amond and Demetriou were charged down. A second set piece was nodded high by Amond but Hayden was there quickly to get things under control.

United continued to enjoy some good spells of possession, but crosses from Alessandra and Patrick were helped on their way as Newport kept their shape.

A flowing move on 20 minutes deserved a goal as Alessandra started a passage of play which saw the ball shift quickly from left to right. It went from him to Kayode, on to Bridge, and then into the path of Gethin Jones as he overlapped, but King stepped off his line to make a diving save as a low cross invited Kayode to make a near post run.

The lead was doubled for the Blues when the lively Jack Bridge was felled by Gorman as he twisted his way into the box. Referee Graham Salisbury had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, and Josh Kayode demonstrated that he has an old head on young shoulders when he waited for the whistle before he rattled a beauty of a penalty past the dive of King, who had thrown himself at it as he guessed the right way.

Carlisle had to take care just before the break when Green spun Mike Jones in midfield before sprinting towards the box. His cross found Amond in space, but a heavy first touch from the forward gave Gethin Jones the opportunity he needed to close things down. The right back made an excellent block just as the trigger was pulled.

A tough night for the visitors got tougher on the stroke of half time when Inniss chopped Kayode to the floor with what was a reckless challenge. The match official pulled the red card out of his pocket immediately, and Aaron Hayden was booked for his reaction to the incident.

And Alessandra was within a heartbeat of adding to the home lead in time added on when a cut back from Bridge ricocheted his way. A drilled volley brought a brave block from Sheehan, and the follow up shot from the same man took a wicked deflection, which was enough to send it wide of the upright.

The Exiles had a bright start to the second period, but it was Carlisle who created the better of the half chances when Patrick played Bridge into the area with a neat reverse pass. Watt arrived late, but he had to stretch and his toe poke went straight at King.

And midfielder Mike Jones was a whisker away from scoring a goal of the season contender following a corner, which had been handed to the Blues on a plate after a wild slice from King was complemented by an even wilder slice from Bennett. The half clearance from the delivery was met by a stinging, superbly executed volley from Jones, and he was disappointed to see it shave the bar as it fizzed into the terracing behind the goal.

Striker Lewis Alessandra was next to have a go when he caught the ball on the sweet spot from 30 yards out. King could only parry it as it swirled right at him, but the keeper was able to breathe again as the clearance was completed.

The visitors should have got back into it on the hour mark when a corner from Willmott was headed high. Two gold shirts came together in their haste to make something of it and the eventual thunderbolt was sprayed high and wide.

Alessandra was suddenly finding space and room as he gave the back line a torrid time and he brought the best out of King with a crunching effort which needed both hands from the stopper to send it wide as he dived long.

Carlisle should have had a second penalty on 65 minutes when Gethin Jones overlapped before cutting it back for Patrick to strike. The goal bound rasper struck Willmott's hand, and the referee was in a good position to see it, but he decided to wave play on despite the protestations which followed from both on and off the pitch.

The threat was all about the home side and a clever stepover from Kayode left Patrick with a chance to shoot. Block followed block, and Newport cleared their lines to spark an attack of their own. Labadie did well to make space, and his clipped delivery was met by Green. His 16-yard volley was on target but it lacked power and purpose and Collin gathered it up.

United were reminded that there was still work to do when a deep free kick wormed its way to Labadie. He should have done better but, just 10 yards out, he somehow managed to skew his attempt wide.

The hosts stepped things up again and an eyecatching piece of skill from Kayode allowed him to leave his marker for dead. Patrick asked for it, but his grasscutter across the face of goal was just too far in front of Kayode. It was recovered at the back stick, but the defence had regrouped and the moment was gone.

Anderton and Hunt had blocks to make through the closing stages, as the visitors tried to get something from the encounter, but it was comfortable for the Blues who had answered their manager's call for a response with a performance that set the scene for their deserved 'three-point feeling.'

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Goals

Carlisle United - Patrick (5), Kayode (33 pen)

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Bookings

Carlisle United - Hayden (45), Anderton (57)

Newport County - Inniss (sent off, 44, late challenge on Kayode)

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Teams

Carlisle United - Collin (gk)(c), G Jones, Hunt, Hayden, Anderton, Patrick (Iredale 86), M Jones, Watt, Bridge (Thomas 69), Alessandra, Kayode (Charters 79). Subs - Dewhurst (gk), Mellish, Scougall, Olomola.

Newport County - King (gk), Haynes, Gorman, Willmott, Dolan (Labadie 12), Amond (Matt 57), Sheehan (c), Bennett, Inniss, Demetriou, Green (Waters 82). Subs - Howkins, Abrahams, Collins, Khan.

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Match officials

Referee - Graham Salisbury
Assistant Referee 1 - Natalie Aspinall
Assistant Referee 2 - Matthew Parry
Fourth Official - Paul Newhouse

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Attendance - 2,822 (49 away fans)

Carlisle United Football Club

Standings

MATCH PREVIEW: A look ahead to the Tuesday night game

MATCH REPORT: United 2 - 0 Newport