Newport home record ended as they draw with resilient Saddlers

Newport County were held to a draw by Walsall at Rodney Parade.

A freak goal for the home side was not enough, but they stay three points clear.

Newport made two changes from their late win against Port Vale with Joss Labadie and Jamie Proctor coming in. Jamie Devitt and Tristan Abrahams dropped to the bench.

Saddlers’ boss Darrell Clarke retained faith in maligned goalkeeper Liam Roberts, leading the line with former Fulham man Elijah Adebayo.

The match began with the away side on the front foot, with Newport pinned in their own half for the first five minutes. without any real chances of note.

It was a game of two halves – in the first half. The first 20 minutes were a dogged battle. The next 25 was electric.

The floodgates opened thanks to Adebayo – who after some great work from the diminutive Alfie Bates, fired home into Nick Townsend’s bottom right hand corner.

Just a minute later, Newport levelled.

Scott Twine has been known for his long-range peaches this season – but none quite like this. He struck a bouncing effort from 35-yards, seemingly straight forward for Roberts but he spilled in.

Adebayo, just a minute later, inexplicably fired over from four yards in what was a much easier chance than the one he actually took.

The hosts maintained pressure throughout the second period, but not even the introduction of veteran Kevin Ellison or speed-demon Tristan Abrahams could salvage three points.

Twine came closest, with the midfielder misfiring his header wide.

Newport stay three points clear after Cheltenham dropped two points tonight, with the Saddlers moving down a place into 16th.

Newport County: Townsend; Haynes, Demetriou, Dolan, Cooper, Shephard; Labadie, Sheehan, Twine; Proctor, Amond

Subs: King, Willmott, Bennett, Abrahams, Devitt, Janneh, Ellison

Walsall: Roberts; Norman, Scarr, Clarke, Jules; Holden, Kinsella, Bates, Osadebe, Scrimshaw: Adebayo

Subs: Rose, Sinclair, Lavery, McDonald, Guthrie, Nolan, White

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