Carmarthen Town 1-0 Newport City 

First Half

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The first 30 minutes passed without much incident, with both sides struggling to create any clear chances.

 

City started the brightest with an early opening as Charlie Davies drove into the box, only to fire over from a promising position. Carmarthen responded with a handful of corners, but nothing that really troubled the Steelmen’s defence.

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The hosts’ first real threat came after the half-hour mark when City keeper Keiron Blackburn couldn’t hold onto a cross inside the area. Fortunately for the Steelmen, Noah Osborne lashed the rebound over the bar – a big let-off. Carmarthen grew into the game; and came close again when Morgan Weaver’s glancing header from a corner drifted narrowly wide of the left post.

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City almost struck before the interval themselves, as Nat Jarvis rose highest from a corner, only to see his header blocked on the goal line.

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Carmarthen finished the half looking the stronger side, but with little between the teams, the score remained goalless at the break.

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​HT 0-0

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Second Half

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The hosts came out strongly after the restart; and they were inches away from taking the lead though a free kick effort. However, the set piece was accidentally blocked on the line by Weaver, before the Steelmen cleared the ball away for a corner.

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From the resulting delivery, City were punished as Liam Thomas reacted quickest inside the six-yard box to bundle home on the hour mark. This came after the Steelmen failed to clear their lines.

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The hosts almost doubled their advantage soon after when Luke Cummings drove a dangerous ball across the face of goal. Thomas stretched to meet it at the far post but could only divert it narrowly wide – a huge let-off for City. Carmarthen almost doubled their lead again when Thomas broke clear, only to be denied by a superb low block from Blackburn.

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The Steelmen weathered the storm and came agonisingly close to an equaliser soon after. Cole Mace burst into the box but was halted by a last-ditch tackle from Taylor Aylward, just as Mace was about to pull the trigger with only the keeper to beat.

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City piled on the pressure in the final ten minutes, dominating possession and forcing Carmarthen back. Their best chance came in stoppage time when captain Luke Cooper’s effort was held by home keeper Lee Idzi. That proved to be the last action of the game, as the Steelmen were left to taste their first league defeat of the season.

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​​FT 0-1

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Newport City Line-Up

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Blackburn, Noyes, Cooper ©, Garrett, Bancroft, Hillman, Jarvis (Sub: Farrah), Davies (Sub: Mace), Bregua, Steadman, Sing (Sub: Kabza)

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Unused Subs – King, Taylor St Clair, Cadwallader, Bloom

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