FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round Friday 12 October 2007 - Spytty Park - kick off 7.45pm

City progressed to the 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup for the first time since the 2004-05 season with a battling performance against fellow Blue Square South side Newport County. As expected, after the sides drew 1-1 in a league meeting at Twerton Park back in September, there was little to choose between them but in the end two goals of the highest quality plus some resolute defending was enough to put City through.

And the first of these goals arrived after just four minutes. They won a free-kick 25 yards from goal when former City midfielder Collier blocked a Lewis Hogg pass with his arm. The ball was slightly wider than the right edge of the 18-yard box but Mark McKeever stepped up to unleash a stunning shot that curled into the top left hand corner of the goal with such pace that keeper Thompson could do nothing but get the faintest of touches before it found the net. This had the double effect of putting City in control of the game and also quieting the large home following. A couple of minutes later a free-kick from a similar position for Newport failed to trouble Paul Evans – available after overcoming the virus that had laid him low earlier in the week. The home side were now dominating possession but rarely looked capable of finding an equaliser. A swift break from City should have had ended with a penalty – Darren Edwards’ pass sending Dave Gilroy racing away down the left before he was clearly brought down by Dodds’ desperate lunge – but, as in last week defeat at Havant, incompetent refereeing denied City a spot kick. A weak clearance from Gethin Jones saw Evans – who consistently looked the most threatening Newport player – go on a weaving run, only for the final shot to fly high and wide. The same player then fired straight at Evans on 13 minutes and seven minutes later Bowen lifted an effort over the bar. Newport’s main attacking threat seemed to be aiming high balls at centre-forward – and former City transfer target – Alsop, hoping his flicks may drop kindly. One such move on the half hour found its way to Evans, via a neat touch by Collier, his well-struck short forcing a flying save from his namesake in the City goal. Another high ball into the City box ended with Alsop heading just wide from six yards out before a rare attack from City saw Hogg get behind the Newport backline but his cross was driven in too close to Thompson. Evans fired a shot across the face of City’s goal and Alsop dived full length to head wide before the interval arrived.

Despite all Newport’s possession City had looked fairly secure and they could have gained some breathing space soon after the restart. Edwards showed his strength in holding off a defender to collect Chris Holland’s long clearance before laying the ball off to Gilroy, whose low shot was pushed away by Thompson. On the hour a timely interception by Holland, clearing Alsop header away for a corner, kept City’s lead intact. Both sides began to make changes after this but it was the 73rd minute introduction of Phil Walsh for City that had an immediate impact. He’d only been on the pitch for a minute when he collected a pass from Scott Rogers. There looked little danger as he carried the ball across the pitch some 25 yards from goal. However, as he turned toward goal, the defence backed off, and he fired a spectacular low drive that flew into the corner of the net. The game was not over though, on 79 minutes Bowen burst through City’s defence, although it looked as if he used a hand to control the ball, only for Evans to come quickly off his line and block the shot. From the resultant corner Sekani Simpson was pushed to floor (naturally missed by the referee) which gave Hillier room to head past Evans, who seemed to slip on the greasy pitch. This lucky break finally woke up both the home fans and players and it was backs to the wall for City for the remaining time. A deep cross by Evans found an unmarked Jarman but he completely mis-kicked, tamely knocking the ball into Evans’ arms. Then a long clearance by Thompson was flicked on by Alsop toward Bowen. He struck the ball first time and it looked destined for the top corner before Evans fingertips turned the ball over the bar. The pressure was building, Alsop heading a corner inches wide and when Evans’ cross picked out Davies just six yards out it looked like Newport had finally drawn level, only for Evans to block the point-blank effort with his legs and with it at last deny the Welsh side.

With City assistant manager Adrian Britten confirming before the game that a decent run in the FA Cup is at the top of the club’s targets this season, this was a vital victory in a potentially very difficult game. As in the previous round against Truro City an early goal settled City but, unlike the match in Cornwall, City looked comfortably in control of the game until the closing minutes. They should have had a penalty in the first half and Dave Gilroy wasted a great chance early in the second. However, it was the unlikely hero Phil Walsh that came up with the vital second goal – showing the confidence gained from his goal in the so-called meaningless Somerset Premier Cup game against team Bath. And after Newport pulled a goal back it was the more familiar figure of Paul Evans producing several brilliant saves to deny the Welsh side a replay.