MATTY FINISH
Former Boro boy Dolan comes back to haunt the Riverside
FORMER Middlesbrough academy midfielder Matty Dolan took his old club to a replay as League Two Newport threatened another FA Cup upset.
Substitute Dolan struck in the final minute of stoppage time to counter Daniel Ayala’s opener, triggering wild celebrations – and a selfie frenzy – as the County players raced to join the travelling fans.
The result piled pressure on Boro boss Tony Pulis, a native of Newport who played for County in the 80s.
Newport boss Michael Flynn said: “It’s unbelievable. You couldn’t write it because the boy who scored is an exmiddlesbrough player. He had about 40 of his family in the crowd.
“He was disappointed he didn’t start and I don’t think he’s ever scored a goal in the box. It’s a fairy tale, really, but I’m slightly disappointed we didn’t win.”
Newport, with former Boro boss Lennie Lawrence in the dugout as management consultant, gave the home side a first-minute scare.
Padraig Amond has written his name into County’s Cup folklore with the late penalty winner in the third round against Leicester and the opener in the 1-1 home draw with Spurs a year ago.
But to Boro’s relief he fired over after turning smartly on the end of Antoine Semenyo’s leftwing centre.
Pulis named John Obi Mikel in his line-up, the former Chelsea midfielder having arrived in midweek on a deal until the end of the season after leaving Chinese side Tianjin TEDA as a free agent. Mikel, 31, had not played since November, but there was no sign of rustiness when he hit a diagonal ball to Britt Assombalonga on the left, where the striker cut inside but fired well wide.
Lewis Wing clipped the bar for Boro after a blocked freekick, but they needed Darren Randolph to make a close-range save with a leg to deny Amond.
At the other end Nick Townsend saved Assombalonga’s deflected shot, but from Wing’s 51st-minute
corner Ayala beat Mickey Demetriou to head home.
Semenyo blazed over in front of goal four minutes from time, but after Randolph denied Jamille Matt, Dolan levelled. Josh Sheehan crossed from the left and Dolan stabbed in after a goalmouth scramble.
Pulis said: “You have to give Newport credit. I thought they played with great spirit.
“We’re disappointed. There were some good points – John played an hour or so. He’s a quality person.”