York City must shatter one of the most formidable home records if they are to get a positive result at Newport County AFC tomorrow afternoon.

The Exiles haven’t lost at their Spytty Park base for something like 19 months and have started this season as quickly as they finished the last – a record-breaking campaign which ended in promotion from Blue Square South.

Quickly settling to life in non-league football’s top tier, Newport have lost just two games of their opening 14 matches, a statistic only matched by Blue Square Bet Premier leaders Crawley Town and third-placed Fleetwood Town.

At home, manager Dean Holdsworth’s men have won three and drawn four of their seven matches, scoring 14 times to boot.

Only a last-minute equaliser prevented Holdsworth’s ten-man team from taking all three points against Eastbourne on Tuesday night. They were forced to settle for a 3-3 draw.

Skipper Gary Warren’s red card against the Seasiders means he will miss the match with the Minstermen but they can rely on striker Craig Reid, the Blue Square South’s top scorer with 24 goals last season, who has found the step-up no problem.

He leads the way for the Exiles again this term with nine.

But if the Minstermen needed some hope, they can take heart from the fact that Newport have slipped up in the last couple of matches – following a run of five successive wins. Their 3-3 Eastbourne draw was preceded by a 2-0 loss at Grimsby.

With goalkeeper Glyn Thompson likely to be still ruled out by injury, Glyn Garner will continue between the sticks as he has for the last two games.

Right-back Paul Bignott also missed Tuesday’s draw and, should he be injured, Eddie Odhiambo will again deputise in the defence. It’s a back four which also has two loan signings at its heart.

Martin John has come in from nearby Cardiff City, while Charlie Clough has arrived from Bristol Rovers.

Newport: (possible) Garner, Odhiambo, Todd, Clough, John, Collins, Rose, Matthews, Knights, Reid, Foley.


Match facts

THIS is York City’s first league visit to Newport for 24 years.

On November 4, 1986, they drew a Division Three (League One) encounter 1-1, with Keith Walwyn the scorer.

The line up was: Leaning, Senior, Hood, McAughtrie, Whitehead, Haslegrave, Ford, Banton (Gabbiadini), Walwyn, Mills, Pearce.

In total 15 Football League trips were made to Newport, with City winning three times and drawing six.

The victories were all in Division Four – 1962/3 3-1,1969/70 2-1 and 1970/1 3-0.

Players to have appeared for both clubs include Gordon Staniforth and David Pugh. Former City star Colin Addison managed County for two spells in the 1970s and 80s.

It happened on October 9

1948: A 5-1 home win over Wrexham with Alf and Matt Patrick both scoring twice. Billy Allen was also the scoresheet in front of 10,611 and City were in the top half of Division Three North.

1954: Arthur Bottom netted in a 1-1 draw at Gateshead and City were 17th in the Northern Section. Making the last of his 181 appearances for the club that day was defender Percy Andrews.

1958: Fourth Division leaders City won 2-1 at Northampton Town with Peter Wragg and Colin Addison on target.

1964: City moved into the top four of the Fourth Division following a 4-2 home win over Doncaster Rovers watched by 11,898. On the scoresheet were Dennis Walker (2), Andy Provan and Paul Aimson.

1965: A 2-2 home draw against Queens Park Rangers with John Pearson and Billy Rudd the marksmen. The attendance was 6,553 and City were just below mid-table in Division Three (League One).

1970: Albert Johanneson and Phil Boyer were the marksmen in a 2-0 win over Southport at Bootham Crescent in front of 3,694 and City were mid-table in the Fourth Division.

1972: A 1-0 home victory over Blackburn Rovers lifted City out of the bottom four of the Third Division (League One). The crowd was 3,428 and Barry Swallow the scorer.

1999: Barry Conlon scored both goals in a 2-1 home win over Leyton Orient watched by 2,320. City were in the bottom four of the Third Division (League Two).

2007: A 2-0 home win over Stafford Rangers with Stuart Elliott and Daniel McBreen the scorers. The attendance numbered 1,784 and City were in the bottom half of the Conference.

Compiled by David Batters