Things, they must be a changin'. After years of trying, City have won again at Newport's Spytty Park Stadium. Not since March 1996 when an Ian Cambridge goal secured a 2-1 win have City managed to come home with three points from this fixture.

Due to traffic problems on the M4, City arrived only 20 minutes before the scheduled kick-off time. Not an ideal preparation but that didn’t seem to upset an unchanged City side from that which had performed so well midweek against Hornchurch midweek, as they quickly registered their first effort on goal, Richard Scott flashing a drive just wide of the goal following a Dave Sadler knockdown. However, it was a false dawn as County began to take control.

Dale Binns gets up well watched by Rob Miller

City’s defence had to be on top form at times, performing some superb blocks as Newport carved out a number of chances. After six minutes Jonathan Coates delivered a deep cross to the back post, Jamie Moralee knocked it back into the six-yard area and John Phillips could only hold his head as he saw his first time shot deflected behind by Matt Langston. A succession of corners followed as City failed to clear their lines. The pressure only being ended when Darren Jones headed the ball into the side-netting from a Jason Bowen cross.

City’s attempts to push forward were all too often scuppered by a poor final ball and they were fortunate to escape unscathed when an underhit pass allowed Newport to break quickly upfield, however, Ashley Williams failed to find Bowen who would have been clean through on goal.

City eventually began to find their feet and turn the Newport tide. Pacy Dale Binns opened the Exiles up when he raced through on the left hand side. Although wide, he was surprised to be faced with keeper Roger Freestone who had raced from his line. He bypassed the stopper’s half-hearted challenge and centred for Sadler but a quick thinking Jones raced in front of the City striker to clear.

Sixty seconds later came a glorious chance for City to go in front. Carl Williams’ ball over the top put a suspiciously offside looking Paul Fewings clear, however, a moments hesitation and a failure to get the ball under control allowed Jones to get a challenge in and the ball rolled behind. It was to be Fewings final contribution as he left the field on a stretcher to be replaced by Robbie Simpson, having apparently having pulled his hamstring again.

Newport pushed on again and Lee Chaffey failed to cut out a pass into Bowen. Charging into space the Newport man appeared to have a clear run on goal but for reasons best known to himself he elected to find strike partner Moralee, sold him short and City cleared. The Exiles continued to press and a dangerous cross from the right saw City struggling and two close range shots were blocked before the ball was eventually cleared.

Robbie Simpson bursts through the midfield

After 25 minutes there was a heart in the mouth moment for the City fans who had made the long journey. Bowen’s well flighted free-kick was allowed to drop in a crowded area, it broke to Andrew Thomas who saw his piledriver rattle between Glen Fuff’s legs and stop dead. With Alan Calton desperately trying to grab it, the ball pinged around the area with a number of players attempting to get the vital touch before it was eventually smuggled behind for a corner.

Coates saw a goalward header turned over the bar by Calton before City so nealry took the lead in what would have been a rather fortuitous fashion. There seemed no real danger as Simpson lofted the ball goalwards, the keeper was coming off his line to collect, but Lee Phillips intervened and attempted to cushion a header back, only succeeding in beating Freestone and fortunately for him, the post too.

City seemed lifted by this and minutes later should have scored, this time through their own efforts. Binns, again working his magic on the flank, sent in a low cross that Simpson only just failed to reach at the near post. The ball was hacked away but both Scott and Miller saw shots bloked as the Newport defence creaked and groaned. City were not finished and Williams picked up the loose ball to set up Simpson who cracked in a shot that thumped the post, the rebound falling to Binns with the goal gaping, but he thrashed at the ball and missed the target completely.

City had the brilliance of Calton to thank for maintaining the status quo shortly after the restart. Simpson had just headed a Chaffey cross off target before Newport raced to the other end of the field and were left cursing their luck. With Chaffey caught upfield, Bowen had plenty of space to exploit and delivered the perfect cross that was met by Williams, it looked a certain goal but Calton saved superbly, turning the ball onto the bar, an inrushing John Phillips completely missed the ball as he attempted to volley home the rebound.

Following this escape, City began to get their game together and pass the ball far better than they had in the first half, allowing them to apply a brief spell of pressure. The Newport defence was at full stretch to clear a dangerously inswinging Craig Pope cross before Rob Miller had a well struck shot blocked, Newport hit back with Kevin Aherne-Evans sending a 30 yard drive narrowly wide.

Dave Sadler leaves a defender floored

There then followed a ten minute spell where Newport were very much in the ascendency but without creating much as Langston and Fuff at the heart of the City defence demonstrated what a solid partnership they are developing into.

Having weathered the pressure, City went close to breaking the deadlock with Binns shooting over before Scott clipped a deft cross onto the head of Sadler, Freestone getting down well to stop his downward header on the line.

Newport rung the changes in the 68th minute, making a double substitution and it did inject some much needed urgency into the home sides game but it was City who were to take the advantage. Loose play in the midfield allowed Binns to steal the ball, a quick one-two with Sadler and the winger was away. Advancing on goal he hit a stinging shot that Freestone could not hold, Simpson picked up the rebound and despatched it into the bottom corner.

The heads of some of the Newport players visibly dropped and City looked likely to add to their lead. Good work by Sadler allowed Miller to get in a shot on the turn that cleared the bar and soon after, substitute Shane Huke saw a low drive saved by Freestone.

City didn’t look in any real danger in the closing moments as the home side looked almost resigned to the fact that the game had gone, a fact reinforced as City strolled out of defence in the 44th minute with the freedom of the midfield, no Newport player looking like they had the will to make a challenge. Huke lofted the ball into Binns inside the area, he got the better of Nathan Davies before spinning and volleying narrowly over the bar.

With the final whistle came an unexpected win that sees City keep up with the pace setters of the division and left Newport hoping that there will be an upturn in fortunes once a new manager is installed.