HEROES STEP UP TO SEAL PLAY-OFF SPOT
IT was time for a hero at Roots Hall and Newport County found two of them. Cometh the hour, cometh the real amber men – ‘ Mr Consistency’ Mickey Demetriou somehow back headed an equalising goal in the 56th minute and then Tom King flung himself full length to his left to deny the home side a penalty five minutes later.
It was typical County, keeping everyone on the edge of their seats before making it into the play-offs for the second time in three seasons. When Southend hit the front with Sean Hobson’s 11th minute strike it looked as though their season might end in disappointment.
But they kept their shape, rode their luck, plugged away and got back on level terms to ensure they made the final four for the play-offs on their own terms. As it was, Barrow did them a favour by holding Exeter City to a draw and it means Michael Flynn’s men will face Forest Green Rovers in a battle to get back to Wembley and clinch the final promotion place.
What a few weeks it is going to be in the Collins household in Malpas. Lewis ran his heart out once again up front for County in his fifth successive start, while elder brother Aaron fired home the penalty that put Forest Green ahead and on course to the 3-0 win that earned them a game against Newport.
Having made the play-offs the biggest concern for Flynn will be the fitness of his captain Joss Labadie. He picked up what appeared a nasty left knee injury in the 72nd minute and hobbled off with his left leg heavily bandaged.
Labadie was taklen to hospital and County will await news as to the extent of the injury.
If truth be told, Southend were much the better side moving forward and should really have put the game beyond County. Greg Halford forced King into the first of his big saves with a first time shot from the edge of the area and then a minute later Hobson struck to give the already relegated home side a real spark.
Padraig Amond thought the visitors should have had a penalty for hand ball as he tried to chip over a defender and caught his arm, but the referee was having none of it. He would change his mind later on in the game in a similar circumstance.
Halford then missed a simple tap in at the far post, much to County’s delight, midway through the first-half and the only chance of the first-half for County came when Scot Bennett chested down a header out of the Southend area and fired it first time just wide of the post.
The pressure of the occasion seemed to be getting to everyone and the referee went over to Flynn’s right hand man Wayne Hatswell to lecture him on his behaviour. Then came the magical moment when man of the match Demetriou headed home.
From that high the game swung again in favour of the home side when Liam Shepherd was inexplicably penalised for allegedly handling the ball after being bundled off the ball. Up stepped Matt Rush, and down went King to make a magnificent save.
Now all thoughts turn to Forest Green, the battle of the Collin brothers and how to stop their big front man, Jamile Matt.
SOUTHEND UNITED: Oxley; Bwomono, Hart (Kyprianou 7), White (captain), Hobson; Cordner, Egbri (Coker 88), Taylor, Olayinka (HackettFairchild 83); Halford, Rush
SUBS UNUSED: Seaden, McCormack, Walsh, Goodship NEWPORT COUNTY: King; Demetriou, Bennett, Shephard;
Lewis, Haynes, Labadie (captain, Dolan 74), Hartigan, Sheehan;
Collins, Amond (Taylor 79)
SUBS UNUSED: Townsend, Ellison, Gambin, Ledley, Maynard