2010–11 Newport County A.F.C. season


The 2010–11 season was Newport County's first season back in the Conference National since the club was expelled mid-season in 1989. County confirmed promotion on 15 March the previous season — the first team in senior football in Britain to do so. The club finished the season in 9th place.

Season review

League

2010

The season began with the second-longest trip of the season and County's first visit to Darlington since the 2–0 victory in May 1988. This time however the home side came away with a 1–0 win, with home 'keeper Sam Russell putting in a man-of-the-match performance. The first home game against Tamworth was drawn 1–1 with Craig Reid scoring the first Conference National point with a 71st-minute penalty. In the following home game with Histon, County looked on course to record their first victory, with the scoreline 2–0 within the first 18 minutes. However the visitors got back into the game, with the score 2–1 at half time and the equaliser coming in the second half, the game was drawn. The next game was County's first visit to the Kenilworth Road home of Luton Town since the 1–1 draw in January 1968. Despite former Luton youth player Charlie Henry firing Newport into the lead that game too was drawn 1–1 and County were still without a win in the new campaign. That win eventually came with the 3–0 defeat of visitors Kidderminster Harriers and County then embarked on an unbeaten run culminating with the club going second in the table following the 3–1 home win against Forest Green Rovers. County's first visit to Grimsby Town's Blundell Park ground since December 1978 resulted in only the second defeat of the season, but County had slipped to sixth. However, following the 28 December away 3–2 victory at Kidderminster, County were back in second place, beating top-of-the-table Crawley Town along the way.

2011

The new year began with optimism that County could cement themselves in the play-off positions, but instead began with a run of 12 games without a win and the loss of their manager, slipping down to 11th place in the process. The home game with Bath City on New Year's Day was lost 2–1 thanks to an injury-time winner by the visitors. County were leading AFC Wimbledon 3–2 in the following home game, in front of a season's best crowd but they conceded an equaliser in the 82nd minute, eventually drawing 3–3. County were again winning away at Southport until an 87th-minute equaliser and a penalty in the sixth minute of injury time, losing 2–1 seconds later. On the morning of the away match with Tamworth it had been announced that manager Dean Holdsworth had left to take up the managers post at Aldershot Town, but he would manage the County game later in the day. Newport were leading 2–1 until a 76th-minute equaliser and another 90th-minute penalty meant Holdsworth's last game in charge would end in a 3–2 defeat. Former County boss and latterly Director of Football Tim Harris took over as caretaker manager but the bad run continued. At home to Rushden & Diamonds when trailing 1–2 Danny Rose missed an 88th-minute penalty which would have gained County a point. To make matters worse the visitors scored again in the 89th minute leaving the final score 1–3. In the next game away to Histon Craig Reid missed an 83rd-minute penalty leaving the final score 0–0. Away to Mansfield Town County were two up within two minutes. With the score 3–0 by 28 minutes this looked like the end of the win-less run, but after the sending off of Chris Todd and resultant penalty in the 33rd minute the score was only 3–2 in County's favour. Almost inevitably the equaliser came and the game ended 3–3. The next game at home to Fleetwood Town was heading for a 1–1 draw until the visitors' 84th and 90th-minute goals resulted in yet another last-gasp loss. The bad luck finally came to an end at home to Altrincham. Finding themselves 1–0 behind after only 46 seconds, County finally won the game 2–1. The then Tottenham Hotspur coach Anthony Hudson was announced as new manager on 1 April. His appointment coincided with a revival in form where revenge victories were exacted over Grimsby Town, Darlington and Barrow, culminating in the season's best 7–1 victory away at Gateshead. County finished the season 9th in the table.

Results summary

Results by round

Squad statistics

Transfers

In

Out

Loans in

Loans out

Managerial statistics

Fixtures and results

Pre-season friendlies

DateOpponentsVenueResultScorersAttendance
Sat 10 Jul 2010Aberystwyth TownPark Avenue3–1Todd, Bond, Foley378
Fri 16 Jul 2010Bishop's CleeveKayte Lane1–0Reid180
Sat 17 Jul 2010Port Talbot TownVictoria Road1–1Foley400
Tue 20 Jul 2010Chippenham TownHardenhuish Park3–0Matthews, Frater, Casey 400
Fri 23 Jul 2010Wolverhampton Wanderers XINewport Stadium2–0Reid 2 1,250
Sat 24 Jul 2010CaerleonCold Bath Road1–0Greening300
Wed 28 Jul 2010Nathan Davies XINewport Stadium4–0Todd, Foley, Knights, Reid702
Sat 31 Jul 2010StevenageNewport Stadium1–0Reid837
Sat 7 Aug 2010Gloucester CityWhaddon Road1–1Sole316
Tue 15 Feb 2011Merthyr TownPenydarren Park1–0Odubade203

Conference National

DateOpponentsVenueResultScorersAttendance
Sat 14 Aug 2010DarlingtonA0–12,597
Tue 17 Aug 2010TamworthH1–1Reid 2,217
Sat 21 Aug 2010HistonH2–2Rose, Matthews1,927
Tue 24 Aug 2010Luton TownA1–1Henry6,945
Sat 28 Aug 2010Kidderminster HarriersH3–0Matthews, Reid 2 2,026
Mon 30 Aug 2010AFC WimbledonA2–2Reid 2 3,828
Sun 5 Sep 2010WrexhamH1–1Knights3,206
Sat 11 Sep 2010Rushden & DiamondsA1–0Reid1,351
Sat 18 Sep 2010Mansfield TownH1–0Rose2,713
Tue 21 Sep 2010Hayes & YeadingA2–1Reid, Warren478
Sat 25 Sep 2010Cambridge UnitedA1–0Collins2,648
Tue 28 Sep 2010Forest Green RoversH3–1Reid 2, Foley2,677
Sat 2 Oct 2010Grimsby TownA0–23,246
Tue 5 Oct 2010Eastbourne BoroughH3–3Matthews, Collins, Rogers2,403
Sat 9 Oct 2010York CityH4–0Foley 2, Reid 22,802
Sat 16 Oct 2010Crawley TownA3–2Rose, Reid, Knights2,566
Sat 30 Oct 2010Kettering TownH1–2Henry2,230
Sat 6 Nov 2010BarrowA1–2Warren1,089
Sat 13 Nov 2010Eastbourne BoroughA0–01,065
Sat 20 Nov 2010SouthportH2–0Wright, Reid1,867
Sat 27 Nov 2010Hayes & YeadingH2–1Knights, Reid 1,601
Sat 18 Dec 2010Fleetwood TownA1–1Matthews1,142
Tue 28 Dec 2010Kidderminster HarriersA3–2Reid 2, Bignot1,757
Sat 1 Jan 2011Bath CityH1–2Reid2,903
Mon 3 Jan 2011AFC WimbledonH3–3Todd, Collins 23,462
Sat 8 Jan 2011SouthportA1–2Todd1,032
Tue 11 Jan 2011TamworthA2–3Reid 2803
Sat 22 Jan 2011Rushden & DiamondsH1–3Rose 1,743
Sat 29 Jan 2011HistonA0–0452
Sat 12 Feb 2011Mansfield TownA3–3Matthews, Griffin, Rose1,986
Fri 18 Feb 2011Luton TownH1–1Collins 2,834
Tue 22 Feb 2011Bath CityA2–2Odubade, Hatswell1,551
Sat 26 Feb 2011Kettering TownA0–21,056
Tue 1 Mar 2011Cambridge UnitedH1–1Collins 1,360
Sat 5 Mar 2011Fleetwood TownH1–3Warren1,716
Sat 12 Mar 2011AltrinchamH2–1OG, Warren1,201
Sat 19 Mar 2011Forest Green RoversA0–01,362
Sun 27 Mar 2011WrexhamA0–13,685
Tue 29 Mar 2011GatesheadH2–1Todd, Hughes1,027
Sat 2 Apr 2011Grimsby TownH2–1Knights, Todd1,506
Tue 5 Apr 2011DarlingtonH2–1Griffin, Knights1,300
Sat 9 Apr 2011York CityA1–2Collins2,565
Sat 16 Apr 2011BarrowH5–0Warren, Knights 2, Foley, Morgan1,331
Sat 23 Apr 2011AltrinchamA3–1Warren, Collins, Foley963
Mon 25 Apr 2011Crawley TownH0–12,026
Sat 30 Apr 2011GatesheadA7–1Collins 2, Todd, Miller, Rose, Baker, Griffin824

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScorersAttendance
4Q23 Oct 2010Crawley TownH0–12,247

FA Trophy

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScorersAttendance
111 Dec 2010WealdstoneH0–01,070
1r13 Dec 2010WealdstoneA1–0 a.e.t.Challinor324
215 Jan 2011Mansfield TownA2–4OG, Matthews1,137

League table