BIG MATCH PREVIEW: Swindon Town V Newport County

Get ready for Saturday's big game

8 April 2022

Swindon Town will be looking to secure a huge three points when they take on Newport County at The County Ground on Saturday.

In what is a massive promotion clash at SN1 tomorrow - 3pm Kick-Off - the Reds will be looking to snap a two-game winless streak and gather momentum with the end of the season in sight.

Newport are firmly in the promotion mix too and, having lost to Exeter City last weekend, they will be looking to bounce back and pick up a monster away day win.

Let's get you set for the game...

LAST TIME OUT...

Jack Payne's late goal secured all the spoils for Town as they beat Newport 2-1 in a tightly-contested clash at Rodney Parade in November 2021.

LAST FIVE...

Season / Date	Competition	Result	Town Scorers
2021-22 - 20th Nov (A)	Sky Bet League Two	1-2	Azaz (OG), Payne
2020-21 - 9th Nov (H)	Papa John's Trophy	1-0	Lyden
2019-20 - 18th Jan (A)	Sky Bet League Two	2-0
2019-20 - 28th Sep (H)	Sky Bet League Two	0-2
2018-19 - 9th Apr (A)	Sky Bet League Two	0-0

FULL RECORD V NEWPORT COUNTY...

P	W	D	L	F	A
94	42	22	30	171	137

TICKET NEWS

Town fans can currently buy tickets for tomorrow's game online by clicking HERE.

TEAM NEWS

Midfielder Louis Reed will return after completing a two-game suspension, while Jake O'Brien is also available again after the defender recovered from illness.

Jack Payne, Louie Barry and Joe Tomlinson all came through last week's game at Rochdale unscathed, but Harry McKirdy and Ben Gladwin remain out although both are progressing well.

For Newport, they will continue to be without defender Josh Pask, but tomorrow's visitors also have no fresh injury concerns.

ONE TO WATCH

DOM TELFORD

It has been quite the year for the Newport County striker, who has emerged as one of the most lethal finishers in the lower leagues.

Telford has proved a nightmare for League Two defenses all year long, and he found the back of the net against the Reds when these two sides last met in November.

Telford leads the entire EFL Sky Bet League Two in goals with 24, so it is fair to say that the in-form forward will be a player Town will have to try and shut down this afternoon.

A WORD FROM BOTH CAMPS

Ben Garner, Swindon Town Head Coach: "They’re a good side, I think James (Rowberry) has done a good job putting his style across and how he wants to play.

"They’ve got creative players. I think it will be a good game, you know, it’s one we’re looking forward to. I don’t see Newport coming here and just parking the bus so to speak.

"I think they will try and attack and try to win the game and we’re certainly doing the same, so let's hope for a good game and we’ll be doing everything to come out on top."

James Rowberry, Newport County Head Coach: “They are a very good team who play very expansive football. It's a big pitch and it's two teams with two different systems, I think it will be a good game.

"I don't think Swindon will change. I believe they will stick to 4-3-3. They might change personnel in wide areas but I will be very surprised if they change for us, although you never know in football.

“Ben [Garner] is a very good coach who has worked with a lot of good managers. They will be like us, focusing on themselves and preparing well because they have had good success this year.

"Jack Payne, Jonny Williams, Louie Barry, Josh Davidson, whatever they go with in midfield, whether Harry McKirdy comes back in being fit, we just have to focus on what we need to do."

ELSEWHERE IN THE SKY BET LEAGUE TWO

Carlisle United v Exeter City (3pm)

Colchester United v Stevenage (3pm)

Crawley Town v Barrow (3pm)

Forest Green Rovers v Hartlepool United (3pm)

Northampton Town v Bradford City (3pm)

Port Vale v Oldham Athletic (3pm)

Rochdale v Walsall (3pm)

Salford City v Harrogate (3pm)

Scunthorpe United v Mansfield Town (3pm)

Sutton United v Leyton Orient (3pm)

Tranmere Rovers v Bristol Rovers (3pm)

OFFICIALS

Referee - Neil Hair

Assistant Referees - Michael Chard & Andrew Laver

Fourth Official - Darren Wilding

FOLLOW THE ACTION LIVE

Not at SN1 on Saturday? Don’t panic because there are numerous ways to keep up to date with all the action.

Live updates will be available on our Twitter and Facebook pages, in addition to our Match Centre on the website, which can be found at the top of the home page on matchdays.

In the wake of the game, https://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/ will be the place to go with a full report, reaction and pictures available to view and read through shortly after the final whistle.

Match Reports

MATCH REPORT: Swindon Town 0-1 Newport County

Reds suffer tough loss

9 April 2022

Swindon Town suffered a crushing 1-0 defeat to Newport County in the EFL Sky Bet League Two at The County Ground this afternoon.

The Reds had the better of the chances in the first-half but couldn't find the breakthrough, and those missed chances came back to haunt them as Finn Azaz scored a late, late winner for the visitors.

Town Head Coach Ben Garner made just the one change with Louis Reed returning from suspension to replace Ricky Aguiar, who dropped to the bench.

In what was a huge promotion clash at SN1, Newport started the brighter of the two teams and they were presented with a golden opportunity with six minutes played as a sloppy pass gave them a clean sight on goal, but they couldn't take advantage.

Mickey Demetriou charged forward and slammed a shot wide with the game being played at a frantic pace, and both teams were playing with a real urgency that such an occasion demanded.

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Town carved out their first real chance of the game with 15 minutes played as Jack Payne drove into space before pulling the trigger, but his effort was palmed away by Joe Day in the County goal.

They came close again moments later as Ellis Iandolo displayed his trickery to beat three men before cutting the ball back into the box, with the ball eventually coming out to Reed who leathered a shot over the crossbar.

Louie Barry sliced a shot off-target from a corner with the hosts enjoying a spell of pressure, before Joe Tomlinson also skewed an effort well wide.

Day then pulled off a fine stop to beat away Jonny Williams' first-time effort from Barry's low cross, and the latter came close himself as he weaved his way into the penalty area, only to place his shot into the side netting.

Barry had another bite of the apple just before half-time but he couldn't get his shot on target and Williams flicked a header inches wide from Iandolo's pinpoint cross, and that proved to be it for the first-half.

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HALF-TIME: SWINDON TOWN 0-0 NEWPORT COUNTY

Payne blasted a free-kick off-target as the Reds looked to grab that all-important first goal, and he also sent a shot wide past the far post with Josh Davison unable to get a crucial touch on it.

Robbie Willmott's low shot dribbled wide of the post after hitting a Newport teammate, before Dom Telford forced Jojo Wollacott into a decent stop after Town failed to clear their lines.

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Town made their first change of the game just shy of the 75 minute mark as Ricky Aguiar replaced Payne, and another sub soon followed with Jayden Mitchell-Lawson replacing Barry.

There was time for a final change as Tomlinson made way for Ben Gladwin, but it didn't go as planned for Town as Newport struck at the death as Finn Azaz rounded Wollacott before slotting the ball into the back of the net to inflict a crushing defeat on the Reds.

FULL-TIME: SWINDON TOWN 0-1 NEWPORT COUNTY

TEAMS & STATS

SWINDON TOWN STARTING XI - Wollacott; Iandolo, Conroy (C), Baudry, Davison, Payne (Ricky Aguiar 74), Barry (Jayden Mitchell-Lawson 80), Williams, Tomlinson (Ben Gladwin 84), Hunt, Reed.

SUBS NOT USED - Ward, Odimayo, O'Brien, Egbo.

NEWPORT COUNTY STARTING XI - Day; Norman, Demetriou (C), Clarke, Lewis, Bennett, Willmott (Jake Cain 68), Azaz, Waite, Street, Collins (Dom Telford 60).

SUBS NOT USED - Townsend, Haynes, Dolan, Ellison, Baker-Richardson.

SCORERS - Finn Azaz (90).

BOOKED - Aaron Lewis, Finn Azaz.

Referee - Neil Hair.

Attendance - 11,408 (1,202 Away Fans).