3rd August 2012

Goals from Reuben Reid, Nathan Ralph and Gozie Ugwu were enough to give Yeovil Town their fifth win of an excellent pre-season against Newport County tonight.

The goals, inside the first fifty minutes, put Yeovil clear of their Blue Square Premier opponents but the last ten minutes saw Rohan Ince limp off after a crunching tackle from County’s Max Porter and also concede a penalty which Andy Sandell converted.

Gary Johnson’s side now have five wins and two draws from seven games but will face stronger opposition next Tuesday when Premier League side Stoke City visit Huish Park.

The Glovers started brightly enough with Reid looking very lively up front and it was the ex-Oldham striker who had the first chance of the game but his shot was blocked and Sam Foley’s follow up half volley was saved.

But three minutes later, the deadlock was broken when a fine ball into the box from Nathan Ralph was met by Reid who finished easily for his fourth goal in five games.

The game then dropped in tempo for a good part of the first period until the final ten minutes when four chances were exchanged by the sides. For Yeovil, Reid shot into the side netting and Gozie Ugwu’s header was blocked by a defender. 

Newport went close through headers from Danny Crow and Michael Flynn but just as it seemed the half time score would be 1-0 to the visitors, Sam Foley, returning to his old Rodney Parade haunt he left in May, crossed for Nathan Ralph to score his first Glovers goal.

Johnson made four changes at half time. Ed Upson, Lewis Young, Curtis Haynes-Brown and Rohan Ince came on to replace Jamie McAllister, Richard Hinds, James Hayter and Dominic Blizzard.

And it was the introduction of Chelsea loanee Ince that helped set up the third goal. His ball through to Gozie Ugwu was controlled brilliantly by the Reading striker who turned and fired home his fourth strike in four games.

He nearly made it five in four with a shot that found the side netting and Foley’s free kick deflected off Reid but was saved by the home keeper. Reid then came even closer after crashing a laid-off free kick against the Newport crossbar.

Ince then was forced off after a hard tackle from County midfielder Max Porter leaving the Glovers to play out the final few minutes with ten men.

Right on time, Jefferson Louis’s shot struck the arm of Yeovil defender James Clarke and Andy Sandell converted the spot kick to earn his side a late consolation.

Yeovil team: Gareth Stewart, Luke Ayling, Richard Hinds, James Clarke, Jamie McAllister, Dominic Blizzard, Sam Foley, Nathan Ralph, James Hayter, Gozie Ugwu, Reuben Reid.

Subs: Ed Upson (for Blizzard 45 min), Lewis Young (for Hayter 45 min), Curtis Haynes-Brown (for McAllister 45), Rohan Ince (for Hinds 45), Marek Stech, Keanu Marsh-Brown (unused)