Newport City 0-1 Aberystwyth Town
JD Cymru South
Newport Stadium – 31/01/2026
Newport City’s winless run was extended in the JD Cymru South as they fell to a second successive league defeat against Aberystwyth Town. The result leaves the Steelmen without a victory in four league matches and ten points adrift of the promotion places
The opening 45 minutes were fairly even, although the Steelmen edged proceedings in terms of clear-cut chances.
Aberystwyth created the first real opportunity of the match when Jonathan Evans fired in a powerful effort from the edge of the area. However, City goalkeeper Elliot Jones reacted well to parry the shot away.
The Steelmen then went agonisingly close to taking the lead from a corner. Samuel Johnson met the delivery and headed low towards the bottom corner. The ball almost crept over the line, before Johnson was penalised for a handball as he landed from the header.
A well-worked free kick soon after almost paid dividends for City, as Owen Bancroft rose highest in the area to power a header just inches over the crossbar.
The Steelmen continued to threaten and came close again when Kayne McLaggon stretched to connect with a cross inside the box. Frustratingly, his close-range effort was saved well by Seasiders goalkeeper Reece Thompson.
HT 0-0
Aberystwyth began the second half on the front foot and took the lead in the 55th minute. A free kick into the area was not fully cleared by City, allowing Thomas Mason to react quickest and prod the loose ball over Jones from close range.
The visitors almost doubled their advantage soon after, when Jonathan Evans forced Jones into a sharp near-post save from inside the six-yard box. Piers Juliff then dragged a low effort narrowly wide of the left post.
The Steelmen gradually worked their way back into the contest, as Rhys Kavanagh fired over. They came close again through an audacious acrobatic effort from Kayne McLaggon, which flew just over the bar.
City pushed hard for an equaliser late on. They came agonisingly close when Johnson struck the post from close range, before seeing his rebound deflected wide from just yards out. Further pressure followed as Johnson saw a close range header saved by Thompson, who then tipped Eduardo Bregua’s goal bound corner over the bar.
The Steelmen’s final chance arrived in stoppage time, when Clayton Farrah’s header was frustratingly cleared off the line.
FT 0-1
Newport City Line-Up
Jones, Ward, Garrett © (Sub: Lonergan ), Bancroft, Johnson, Kavanagh, Sage, Bregua, Farrah, McLaggon (Sub: Mace), Steadman
Unused Subs – Bunn, Noyes, Hooper, Bloom