Stevens at the double as leaders blow Exiles away
NEWPORT County saw their fourgame League Two winning streak come to an end as they were blown away by runaway leaders Forest Green Rovers at a blustery New Lawn.
Goals either side of half-time from striker Matt Stevens were enough to seal victory for the hosts, who moved 10 points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand.
County drop from third to fifth and they had goalkeeper Nick Townsend to thank for preventing a bigger dent in their goal difference as the home side dominated.
Jack Aitchison almost gave the hosts the perfect start in the first minute, but his goalbound effort from Nicky Cadden’s cross was blocked before it could trouble Townsend.
Cadden soon created another opportunity for Stevens, but the striker’s header was just off target.
County finally got going midway through the first half with rightback Cameron Norman seeing a shot blocked and striker Courtney Baker-Richardson having a header saved by Luke McGee from Jake Cain’s cross.
But the champions-elect came back strongly with former Exiles front man Jamille Matt, Ebou Adams and Aitchison all going close and they took a deserved lead on 33 minutes.
County were caught on the counter and after a fantastic solo run from Kane Wilson, Stevens finished expertly from the centre of the box with his left foot.
Rovers were almost out of sight before half-time as Townsend saved first from Matt and then from Aitchison after the midfielder had dispossessed Scot Bennett.
Townsend was a busy man immediately after the break too,
FOREST GREEN...............2 NEWPORT CO..................0 denying Cadden and Stevens before the hour mark.
James Rowberry tried to inject some urgency into the County attack by replacing Baker-Richardson with Crystal Palace loanee Rob Street on 59 minutes.
But Forest Green doubled their advantage just two minutes later with Wilson again provided the ammunition for Stevens to punish County as the striker headed past Townsend into the corner of the net.
Townsend just about kept his side in the contest with further saves from Billy Cargill and Aitchison before Matt spurned another chance on 67 minutes.
Dom Telford teed up Finn Azaz for a rare County attempt at goal 13 minutes from time, but his effort was always rising and cleared the bar without troubling McGee.
Rovers were relentless in attack and kept pushing for a third with Townsend saving twice more from Cargill but two goals were more than enough to claim victory.
Telford’s wild effort, high and wide, in the final minute summed up an afternoon to forget for County.
FOREST GREEN: McGee; Godwin-Malife, Moore-Taylor, Cargill; Wilson, Stevenson, Adams, Cadden (Bernard, 88); Aitchison (March, 75); Matt, Stevens (Sweeney, 81). Substitutes not used: Allen, Young, Diallo, Thomas
NEWPORT COUNTY: Townsend; Norman, Pask, Demetriou,
Haynes; Bennett; Cain, Azaz, Cooper (Waite, 77); Telford, Baker-Richardson (Street, 59), Substitutes not used: Day, Clarke, Collins, Willmott, Dolan.
David Rock.
3,817.