DONCASTER...1 NEWPORT CTY...3

NEWPORT County fought back from a goal down at Doncaster Rovers to keep alive their hopes of a top-half finish in League Two.

County have been looking over their shoulders at the relegation zone for most of the season and only secured safety last week.

But they are now up to 14th after a fourth win in seven games and looking to climb even further up the table.

Graham Coughlan’s men trailed 1-0 at the break, but second-half goals from Priestley Farquharson, Aaron Wildig and Cameron Norman secured the three points.

It was the perfect way to bounce back from their midweek defeat to Mansfield Town.

The Exiles started well, and captain Mickey Demetriou almost gave them a 10th-minute lead when he headed Wildig’s floated corner just over the bar.

But they were behind two minutes later when Aidan Barlow teed up Kyle Hurst for the opening goal, a right-footed shot from 25 yards that found the top corner via a deflection.

Omar Bogle, recalled up front in place of Calum Kavanagh, thought he had won a penalty two minutes later, but referee Simon Mather waved away the visitors’ appeals.

Bogle also went close to an equaliser six minutes before halftime but he shot just wide after controlling a loose ball in the box.

County continued to attack after the interval and, after Demetriou had headed another Wildig freekick over five minutes into the second half, Farquharson headed County level from the skipper’s long throw on 64 minutes.

And, once they were level, there was no stopping Coughlan’s men.

Substitute Kavanagh dragged a shot wide, and Bogle was just off target from a Will Evans cross before Norman headed high and wide from Wildig’s corner.

The pressure finally told on 71 minutes when County launched a quick counter-attack and Bogle laid off the ball for Wildig to fire in from distance with an inch-perfect finish.

Doncaster sub Harrison Biggins almost levelled soon afterwards and Joe Day was grateful to see his left-footed shot from outside the box go just wide of the post.

And Norman settled any County nerves with a third goal 11 minutes from time as he headed in from close range after another mammoth long throw by Demetriou.

County are just four points below Tranmere and Sutton United, who are in 11th and 12th respectively, with a game in hand and remain on target to reach Coughlan’s target of a top-half finish.

They host Harrogate Town on Tuesday night before going to Gillingham next Saturday, concluding the season against Crewe Alexandra at Rodney Parade on May 8.