There'll be no welcome in The Valleys
by Steve Dadd & Pete Pavey

2nd March 2003

With injuries seemingly not a problem for a Terras side bursting with confidence, Welsh side Newport County arrived at the Wessex with fans bedecked with daffodils to celebrate St. David’s day, that was all they would have to celebrate as the Terras took their chances and climbed a further place up the league.

The game started under bright sunlight, although the swirling breeze made judgement of high balls a lottery. Weymouth got off to a flyer, a Jason Matthews goal kick was chested down by Ian Hutchinson on the halfway line, spotting Sullivan in space his precision pass left Sullivan to check his stride, look up and strike the ball a full 20 yards out past the diving Pat Mountain and into the left hand corner of the net.

Weymouth were failing to win the midfield battle against a strong Newport side who tackled hard but fair and picked out their players with uncanny accuracy, only their woeful finishing denied them of making Jason Matthew have to work harder for his money.

Simon Browne gave away a free kick on the edge of the box with 19 minutes gone; Kristian Dimonds effort sailed harmlessly wide. Newport used the left flank to great effect with Tully and Kenway working hard to stifle their attacks, although Raith Plant powered his way through on 22 minutes but the redoubtable Alex Browne robbed him of the ball as he was about to pull the trigger.

An intelligent ball by Ian Hutchinson gave David Laws something to chase on the left flank, his by line cross was met by the joint heads of Phillips and Tully who both failed to connect allowing Newport to clear.

Right on the half hour, another good run by Nathan Davies enabled him to tee up Shephard; his snap shot was instinctively stopped by Matthews.

Newport had two more chances in the first half both went ridiculously wide and so at half time the score was:

Weymouth played the second half with more conviction as Newport pushed up and allowed the Terras more room up front for the wing backs to exploit.

Ian Hutchinson stood firm on the edge of the box with 50 minutes gone, under a mountain of bodies he got his shot in that had Mountain scrambling on the line to stop. Weymouth were still coming out second best in 50/50 balls but their terrier like determination never allowed the visitors room to breath.

Ryan Ashford who had battled hard all game was replaced by the fit again Matty Hale on the hour, and five minutes later Steve Tully made an exciting run from deep, beating a number of players on the way into the box his shot was fired over with half the Weymouth side queuing up for the tap in at the far post.

Jason Matthews made the most of a chance to get his gloves dirty on 70 minutes when Shephard sent in a scorcher, the Bristol based glove man tipped the ball over the bar.

With play now resembling a tennis match with end-to-end stuff, the inexhaustible Sullivan worked hard on the right flank before switching play to the left side for Phillips to run onto, his thunderous effort skimmed the top of the bar.

Newport made three substitutes with 14 minutes left to play.

Neat interplay between Laws, Phillips and Sullivan ended with the former Magpie sending in a beautifully flighted cross that was well met by Laws, his header went agonisingly wide.

But there was no mistake from Robinson with four minutes left to play, Phillips danced his way into the box and with Newport defenders closing him down, his well executed back heel right into the path of Robinson was hit first time from the angle of the six yard box and crashed into the roof of the net.

Weymouth could have gone further ahead as the beaten Newport were under the cosh for the final knockings, a Robinson thunderbolt from 30 yards went well over.