Rock solid deadlock unable to be broken between Accrington and Newport
Defensive excellence was on full display in the game between Accrington Stanley and Newport County at the Wham Stadium. Neither side could break the other down with fantastic defensive displays put on by both teams.
Accrington entered the game just above the League 2 relegation places, despite being unbeaten at home. Stanley had picked up just five points from their opening six games, one win and two draws at the Crown Ground, three losses away from home. Newport’s form so far this season was exactly the same as Accrington’s; a win and two draws at their home ground of Rodney Parade, three losses on the road.
Prior to the game Accrington manager John Doolan said his players would have to “run through a brick wall” to try and get his side back in the winning column, but with a host of injuries and suspensions it was going to be difficult. Doolan however remained positive, saying “we have a strong enough squad… we will put out a team that we think can be competitive”. Doolan made three changes to the side that lost to Barnet in their previous game. Devon Matthews was suspended after being sent off in the aforementioned game, Shaun Whalley was injured in that same game and Aidan Borland was dropped to the bench. In came Seamus Conneely, Charlie Warren and Stefan Mols.
Newport County boss Hayden Mullins said it’s “important to start collecting points away from home” feeling his side had been unlucky not to have done so yet so far this season. Belief is very important to Mullins, saying “The boys believe, it’s our job to keep that belief”. Newport made two changes from their last game, a 1–1 draw with Fleetwood. Shaquille Gwengwe and Michael Adu-Poku dropped to the bench, in came Kieron Evans and Joe Thomas.
The first big chance of the game fell to Charlie Caton. He received the ball on a cutback from Josh Woods and fired a shot low and hard towards the bottom left corner, forcing a good save out of Jordan Wright in the Newport County goal. Wright had been involved in a collision a few minutes prior where he looked to have hurt his right arm, and the save he had to make from Caton did him no favours.
Controversy on the twenty minute mark as Donald Love went in hard on Newport’s Matt Dibley-Dias right in front of the travelling Newport County fans, many of whom were screaming at referee Jamie Robinson to send off the Accrington defender, however the card issued was yellow rather than red.
It took up until the thirty-fourth minute before Newport had their first shot on target. It was a long-ball from Jordan Wright in the Newport goal, flicked on by Christian Doidge and met by left wing back Matty Jacobs. His shot from the edge of the box was headed towards the bottom left hand corner but Accrington’s Louie Moulden pulled off a great save to keep the game tied.
Just on the stroke of half time Accrington had one final chance. Josh Woods was played through down the Accrington left hand side, he found Stefan Mols on the edge of the box who hit the ball towards Jordan Wright’s goal, but the shot was ultimately wayward, bringing the second half to a close with the deadlock still firmly intact.
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Straight from the restart Newport won a freekick on the right hand side of the pitch. Cameron Norman delivered a fantastic cross which found the head of Christian Doidge, his header sailed just inches wide of Moulden’s left hand post. A chance Newport feel they could’ve done better with.
Leaning on their set pieces heavily to start the second half, Newport played a floating ball from the left hand side this time, and after a scuffle in the box the ball fell to Kieron Evans who leant back too much, and sent the ball high into the sky and onto the roof of Accrington’s standing section behind Moulden’s goal.
As the rain began to fall as the second half progressed the game calmed down. Chances were created but the end product just wasn’t there for either side. Crosses with no one to meet them became a recurring theme within the game.
On the break Newport got themselves a fantastic chance. Matty Jacob receives the ball down the left hand side and charges into the Accrington box, his shot was straight down the throat of Louie Moulden and Seamus Conneely hooked it clear. Perhaps the best chance of the second half.
As the game came to a close there was an array of half or quarter chances but nothing able to break the stalemate between the two sides. It finished Accrington Stanley 0–0 Newport County.
Accrington Stanley: Moulden, Love, Conneely, Anderson, O’Brien (Smith ‘66), Coyle, Mols, Woods, Tutonda (Catesby ‘81), Caton (Stockton ‘53), Walton
Unused substitutes: Rogerson, Borland, Brown, Warren
Newport County: Wright, Thomas, Jenkins, Cameron, Norman, Dibley-Dias, Brennan, Jacob, Biggins (Nyakuhwa ‘86), Evans (Adu-Poku ‘66), Doidge (Gwengwe ‘86)
Unused substitutes: Turner, Smith, Bamba, Sassi
Attendance: 1743 (218 away)
