This match had everything and for the neutral football fan, it was a most enjoyable game.
From the partisan supporters of Newport and Mansfield, I imaging it would be remembered as a most frustrating match. I was fully expecting a draw between these two teams that ended up in play-off positions last season but I would never thought that I would be witnessing one of the most fascinating matches that I have seen for a long time.
On a pitch that appeared to have been heavily watered, Newport ran the first half without much resistance from their visitors. Within the first quarter of an hour they took the lead with a shot by Labidie through a crowd of players in a movement that had been repeated only a moment or two earlier with a right wing cross to the left wing finishing with the centre. First time it failed – next time it scored. Newport were constantly putting the ball in the area but with little satisfaction due to some good defending. There were frequent slippery tackles, and a lot of holding and backing in, frequently ending with one player was left on the floor. It was difficult to judge whether these were slips or pushes in many cases. One such move had the ball bouncing high in the goal area when an off-the-ball incident resulted in a hotly disputed penalty award which was comfortably put away by Amond. Two nil up at the interval and coasting. And then it all happened.
Two minutes after the interval, Mansfield were awarded a free kick a few yards outside the corner of the penalty area and whilst half a dozen Newport defenders were rooted to the spot, Pearce was given a free header. Another two minutes passed and Mansfield were again in the opposition’s penalty area and a weak shot by Rose somehow managed to confuse King, the Newport keeper, with the result that the ball manged to go through his body and into the net. 2-2 Game On!
Mansfield were showing that their first half performance had to be improved upon and on another excursion into the Newport penalty area, a late tackle brought down one of their forwards and a penalty was awarded. A golden chance to stage a remarkable recovery was in their grasp. Alas, King made amends for his earlier mistake and saved to his left.
That seemed to take the sting out of the Mansfield forwards as they strived to keep hold of at least one point. The pushing and shoving from both sides that had punctuated this match continued, though, it could not be said that it was a dirty game. However, one incident would have looked more at home in a wrestling ring when a Newport player was upended and that resulted in Mellis being dismissed. From then on it was just survival soccer from Mansfield. The final few minutes drew even more excitement when within time added on for stoppages, Newport had the ball in the net…. But it was ruled offside.
So in the end justice was done. Newport had been punished but Mansfield had survived. Another draw between these two teams was to be expected, I suppose.
words Mike Commins