City made light of their ever increasing injury list to get their promotion push back on track as a pulsating performance earned them a 2-0 victory over Newport County.

In the wake of impressive performances when coming off the bench at St Albans last Saturday, followed by more of the same when playing for the reserves on Monday, Lee Chaffey, Josh Simpson and Matt Robinson earned themselves a place in the starting line-up. The three players to make way being Lee Summerscales and Alex Fiddes (the Lilywhites only named substitutes) and latest casualty Dave Sadler, City’s leading scorer injured less than an hour before kick off. Gary Roberts coming into the match already deprived of Richard Scott, Dale Binns (both injured) and Craig Pope (serving the last game of his four match ban)

Glenn Fuff closes in on Newport's Jamie Moralee

The Exiles arrived at Milton Road on the back of a four game winless run, although they picked up a useful point against Weston-Super-Mare on New Year’s Day courtesy of two goals in two minutes scored by John Phillips and Ashley Williams.

A number of players have left the Spytty Park playing staff in recent weeks including former Swansea City midfielder Jonathan Coates and ex-Lilywhites’ trialist Carl Wilson-Dennis.

City’s approach right from the first whistle suggested there would be no repeat of the back-to-back lacklustre displays which resulted in them drawing a festive blank with Josh Simpson in particular having an immediate impact in the middle of the park.

It was the visitors however he drew first blood when Jamie Moralee forced Duncan Roberts into action as he muscled his way between Matt Langston and Glen Fuff. City countered immediately, Josh Simpson winning a challenge in a central position and feeding namesake Robbie, who, in turn, laid the ball wide to Matt Robinson but Andrew Delve was comfortably behind the former Ipswich player’s shot.

Newport then spurned a decent chance to open the scoring when the City defence failed to deal convincingly with a Lee Phillips’ free kick, swung in from wide on the right, the ball fell invitingly for John Phillips with a clear sight of goal from the edge of the box but the teenage striker was leaning back as he shot and skied over the bar.

City then did likewise at the other end. Jon Stevenson did well to get on the end of Roberts’ goal kick and held the ball up well before bisecting the Exiles’ defence with a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Rob Miller who had made an intelligent run from deep. The former Bedford midfielder only had Devle to beat but the ‘keeper was off his line swiftly and as Miller slid his shot wide of the on-rushing stopper he also narrowly cleared the upright.

As Newport countered Gethyn Jones’ right wing corner was only partly cleared as far as Darren Jones who saw his goal bound effort deflected into the side netting by Glen Fuff’s outstretched leg. As play switched immediately to the other end Stevenson, looking back at his sharpest, released Robinson with a superb through ball but the recovering Darren Jones firstly held up his man before dispossessing him with a well-timed tackle.

Fuff and Matt Langston combine to keep Newport out

There was a real ebb and flow about the game at this stage and as Newport came again Ashley Williams latched onto Scott Morgan’s throw down the left hand side and centred for John Phillips who headed over.

The Lilywhites were then indebted to their goalkeeper for keeping the scoresheet blank. Moralee’s powerful strike from distance forced Duncan Roberts down to his right to save but he could only parry the effort back into the path of (John) Phillips who looked odds on to finish only for the giant custodian to recover and better his first save with a stunning follow-up.

Determined to frustrate his former colleagues Roberts was again on hand moments later as Nathan Davies showed good close control on the edge of the area to create space for a shot only to find his route to goal blocked by the imposing City ‘keeper.

The Lilywhites ended the half on a high however forcing a couple of corners which caused alarm in the visitors’ goalmouth as first Matt Robinson went close from Jon Stevenson delivery and then Robbie Simpson was the beneficiary as Williams collected a short flag kick and swung in a cross which the tall striker headed goalwards but Delvegathered.

City continued their high energy approach after the interval and in their first attack on goal good work by Josh Simpson resulted in the ball being worked into Stevenson who fashioned an unlikely shooting opportunity when there seemed no space, angling his effort inches wide with Delve at full stretch.

Glen Fuff then brought the ball skilfully out from the back and played in Robbie Simpson wide on the right but lacking support in the centre he elected to fire in low and hard at the near post where Delve was able to get safely behind the drive.

With just over an hour gone, when it seemed that for all the good approach play there was to be no end product, City snatched the lead. There seemed little immediate danger when Jon Stevenson played the ball in from wide on the left to Robbie Simpson, who was tightly marked with his back to goal, however in one movement, the ten-goal striker produced a sublime turn and left foot drive which flashed across Delve, who did well to get a hand on the strike, and nestled into the bottom corner of the net.

Langston gets the better of this clash

With the lead secured at last City then suffered a momentary lapse of concentration which allowed Moralee to weave his way towards goal unchallenged and get off a shot which Roberts blocked on the edge of the box, provoking memories of the corresponding fixture last season when the King’s Lynn born ‘keeper produced a similarly inspired display in the colours of his former club.

With some twenty minutes remaining City then gave themselves vital breathing space by converting their territorial advantage into a second goal. More good work by Robbie Simpson earned the hosts a left sided corner. Jon Stevenson’s delivery was perfect and skipper Matt Langston rose majestically some six yards out to head over the stranded Delve and into the back of the net.

This was effectively game over as City’s energy and commitment was such that they were never going to allow the visitors to find a way back. Alex Fiddes was introduced to give Carl Williams a breather and the Lilywhites retained their stranglehold on proceedings.

Duncan Roberts wasn’t troubled further in the closing stages and City could have extended their lead twice more through the impressive Robbie Simpson. Firstly, the former ‘Academy’ striker saw his shot from Steve Dell’s partially cleared free kick blocked at point blank range and then, in the dying moments and full of running to the last whistle, he intercepted Scott Morgan’s careless throw and bore down on goal only to be hauled back by Andrew Thomas who was cautioned for the challenge.

This was arguably City’s best home league performance of the season, due in no small part to the role of the supporters who, along with Exiles who always travel in numbers, generated a fantastic atmosphere throughout, more of the same for the remainder of the season and there’s no reason why the Lilywhites’ home form can’t match their away form and see them finish amongst the division’s top teams.