Newport 1 Argyle 2: Match report

Argyle got their third win in a row and remained top of the league with a 2-1 victory at Newport County that was permeated with poignant flashbacks.

Much was made - perhaps too much, it could be argued - of the fact that John Sheridan had a distinctly poor record as Argyle manager when it came to winning a game from behind, so the fact that his current County side led via a Scott Boden then surrendered all three points to his old club will not be lost on many.

The more important stat is that Argyle notched their eighth win from 12 away games this season via a superb second half performance that followed a lacklustre opening 45.

Goals from strike pairing Jake Jervis and Ryan Brunt were enough to see resurgent Argyle turn the game on its head and leave Derek Adams the happiest manager around.

There seemed to be a pair of script points running parallel to the actual action in the build-up to this game. One off the pitch, one of the pitch, if you like.

Newport's pitch, shared with a pair of rugby teams, has for several years been a point of discussion. When the South Walian climate becomes inclement and fixtures pile-up, so the pitch has a tendency to deteriorate. However, despite a televised Newport Gwent Dragons fixture 24 hours taking place on the Rodney Parade turf 24 hours previously, things looked adequate enough for football. Not a flat, green carpet, but then neither is Home Park right now.

Since the fixtures were announced there were eye on this game from a managerial point of view, as Derek Adams had plenty of history with Terry Butcher, who was the Exiles boss back in June. When he lost his job and was replaced by former Pilgrims manager John Sheridan, dugout matters took on an ever more important tone.

Undoubtedly, if asked, each manager would deny their presence as a factor, especially Adams, who would be wishing to plough his own furrow. Sheridan - who, let us place on record, did a more-than-admirable job as Argyle boss, converting a team from League 2 strugglers into play-off contenders in little more than two years - allowed the veneer to slip a little in an interview with the local south-east Wales press corps, admitting that he did not think all of the Green Army had appreciated the job he did.

Some certainly did - among the hoopla of two sets of players walking onto the field from one end, along with flag waving and music blaring, Sheridan quietly tagged along at the back. A section of the Green Army saw him, applauded, and the Newport manager showed his appreciation with a thumbs up.

Now, it was onto the matter of the actual football.

Incidentally, the line-up included five players Sheridan had signed for Argyle. Five represented Adams acquisitions, and the other was captain Curtis Nelson, who preceded both bosses.

It was nearly a perfect start for Argyle and Adams as Newport mysteriously presented the ball to Ryan Brunt, in space, 25 yards out. He slipped in Craig Tanner, making a well timed run, but the ball got stuck under him, and with his weaker, right foot he shot tamely into the hands of Joe Day in the home goal.

At the other end, Lenell John-Lewis - "his name is a shop" sang the County fan; a Christmassy one, too - saw a flashy overhead kick drop wide of the post. Not close enough to trouble Luke McCormick, but closer than the man on the moon.

Fittingly, in rugby country, Newport were doing a good job of getting up the field and winning territory. That is not intended as a slight; on the contrary, the home side should be commended for their battling qualities from the outset of the game, getting the ball moving in the direction they desired. Argyle, though, have made a virtue this season of allowing a little pressure but defending with steel. As such, Newport continually got to Argyle's area - and no further.

When County abandoned their gradual progression tactic and went route one, they took the lead.

Goalkeeper Day launched a ball right up the middle, which was flicked on by John-Lewis. Boden snuck round the back, and as McCormick advanced the County forward lifted the ball over the onrushing Argyle keeper and into the net.

Argyle looked to respond quickly, and had a chance when Oscar Threlkeld was brought down around 40 yards from the Newport goal. Craig Tanner lofted a ball towards the right hand side of the goal, and Brunt met it with his head. From the vantage point from the press box the ball looped out of sight before dropping into Day's six-yard area. Day, though, seemed to have lost sight of it too, as he hurriedly flapped at it as it dropped. He got a hand to it - enough to flick it against the bar - before the ball bounced around close the goal, begging to be knocked home.

Unfortunately, it was an amber toe that reached it first, and Newport could breathe easily.

Only a minute or two, though, as the goal seemed to have woken the slumbering Pilgrims. First Jake Jervis' cross into a dangerous area was well headed away, then Tanner clipped one in that Brunt reached first, but defender Matt Partridge got enough on it to allow Day to gather gratefully.

Newport looked to repeat the dose that saw them get in front, with Boden knocking back for John-Lewis, who shot wide. At the other end Tanner latched on another late Newport present, but his well hit shot went just wide.

As the half concluded, Threlkeld went into book for a challenge that seemed to encapsulate Argyle's half. It was committed, honest, and not that bad - but it was not quite right.

At half-time, Adams made a change, bringing on Josh Simpson for Gregg Wylde, and switching Argyle's system. Early in the first-half Argyle had matched their hosts' 4-4-2, but Adams abandoned that in favour of lop-sided diamond formation that Argyle played for much of pre-season, but that has not had many outings since.