Newport County 1-1 Exeter City
LINE-UPS:NEWPORT COUNTY: Day, D. Holmes, Barrow, M. Taylor, Elito, Klukowski (Owen-Evans 50'), John-Lewis, Donacien, Boden (Rodman 72'), Byrne (capt), Collins (Blackwood 65').
SUBS: R. Taylor, Twumasi, Partridge, Parselle.
GOALS: John-Lewis 73'
EXETER CITY: Olejnik, Noble, Ribeiro, Oakley (capt), Holmes (Davies 78'), Moore-Taylor, Morrison (Nichols 78'), Wheeler (Nicholls 78'), Tillson, Grant, Brown.
SUBS: Pym, Butterfield, McCready.
GOALS: Grant 62'
Referee: Dean Whitestone
Report
Joel Grant's second Exeter City goal was cancelled out by Lenell John-Lewis as it ended all-square at Rodney Parade.
Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale made two changes to the Grecians line-up that won at Portsmouth in midweek, with both Matt Oakley and Will Hoskins coming in to start. However, Hoskins wouldn't make it to the starting whistle - he pulled up in the warm-up, with Clinton Morrison taking his starting place.
It had been a very significant week for the Welsh club, with the supporters' trust raising the necessary funds to purchase the club from Lottery winner Les Scadding and manager Terry Butcher being replaced by John Sheridan, who took Plymouth Argyle to the League 2 play-offs last season. Sheridan got a very colourful reception from the Exeter City fans on his way to the dugout thanks to his time in charge of Plymouth Argyle.
It was twenty-one minutes until the game's first sizeable chance, and it came when Joel Grant's cross was blocked. Christian Ribeiro picked up the rebound, and fired another cross into the Newport box which Lee Holmes skied with the goal at his mercy.
Holmes was involved again fifteen minutes later, first having an effort blocked and then unleashing a great curling effort that flew just wide of the top corner. The half would end goalless, with the home side not putting Bobby Olejnik under any great stress.
HALF-TIME: NEWPORT COUNTY 0-0 EXETER CITY
After five minutes of wearing Arron Davies's shirt, Lee Holmes was just inches away from a proper connection on Christian Ribeiro's cross to divert it goalwards.
Their domination of the chances would be rewarded, however, when Jordan Moore-Taylor's cross reached Joel Grant at the far side of the Newport box, and the Jamaican international cut inside to finish for his second Grecians goal. He almost got another quickly afterwards, but his next effort went wide.
But Newport were level with just over a quarter of an hour left. After Exiles sub Alex Rodman had a shot blocked by Troy Brown, Lenell John-Lewis fired the rebound past Bobby Olejnik. Three Grecians substitutions were the response, with Alex Nicholls, Arron Davies and Tom Nichols all entering play.
Christian Ribeiro almost got a screamer but for the intervention of Newport goalkeeper Joe Day with five minutes to play, but after Jordan Tillson and Jordan Moore-Taylor both put in a series of crucial defensive blocks, City hung on to leave Wales with a point.
FULL-TIME: NEWPORT COUNTY 1-1 EXETER CITY
Attendance: 2,870 (583 away)
Man of the Match: Jordan Tillson