Finn’s grand finale shows County what they will be missing
FINN Azaz showed the Newport County fans what they are going to miss next season as he made the first goal and scored the second as the Exiles put an end to their miserable run of three successive defeats against promotion chasing Port Vale.
The Aston Villa loanee showed exactly why he won the League Two Young Player of the Year award as he produced the class that was needed to make the vital difference in a thunderous clash of two teams in the top half of the table.
County’s play-off hopes crashed and burned on the back of three successive defeats in a run of seven games in which they only picked up four points.
This defeat for Port Vale was their third in a row and might just have wrecked their chances of automatic promotion.
They now have to go to champions Exeter City on Saturday to get a win to stand any chance of making the top three. If they lose a fourth game in a row, they could miss out on the play-offs.
James Rowberry made five changes to his starting line-up as he recalled Nick Townsend, Ryan Haynes, James Clarke, Jake Cain and Courtney Baker-Richardson and his bold selection earned immediate dividends.
With the game a mere two minutes old, Clarke scooped a ball down the right touchline towards the corner flag and Azaz, gave chase. He tricked the home full back, left him for dead and headed to the by line.
Once there he pulled the ball back across goal. Dom Telford tried to poke it in at the near post and missed, but his cross picked out the fast arriving Haynes, who slammed home a right footed shot to give the visitors a dream start.
If it was just the tonic Rowberry’s men needed as they went in search of their first win in four games, it wasn’t what the 8,000 home crowd wanted to see after their promotion hopes began to wobble once more.
The first half saw County get six shots off, four of which were on target, and their superior passing helped to create chance after chance going forward. Vale were totally subdued and needed a roasting from acting manager Andy Crosby at half-time.
Six minutes into the second half they got back on level terms when a cross from the left wasn’t dealt with well enough by Josh Pask at the heart of the County defence and Ben Garrity chested the ball down and then hammered it home to notch his 12th goal of the season.
Now it was a test of character for Rowberry’s side and they stayed in the fight as Vale powered forward. Neither side wanted to make it four losses on the trot and in the 71st minute County picked up a corner.
Matty Dolan swung it in from the right and a Vale defender looped it clear. Then, out of nowhere, Azaz arrived from outside the box to hit the ball in the ‘D’ on the volley with his left foot to bag the second goal.
It was a goal that displayed all the talents of the 21-year-old midfield ace. He almost made it 3-1 in the 86th minute after going through, but was foiled by the keeper.
County saw the game out in a professional manner and will now complete their season at home against Rochdale this weekend. One last chance for the County faithful to marvel at the skills of their best player of the season.
Port Vale: Stone; Smith, Benning (Gibbons 67), Hussey, Martin; Worrall, Garrity, Charsley (Harratt 69), Pett; Wilson (Amoo 79), Proctor
Subs Unused: Holy, Robinson, Taylor, Edmondson
Newport County: Townsend; Norman, Haynes (A Lewis 74), Pask, Clarke, Bennett; Dolan, Azaz, Cain (Cooper 53), BakerRichardson (R Street 59), Telford
Subs Unused: Day, Fisher, Collins, Waite