{ the forum }
 
An independent supporters' website dedicated to Mansfield Town FC

Newport opening day preview

Discuss all things Stags and Football League Two, and share stuff using our BBCodes.
Forum rules
Please read the Posting Rules before participating. Posting on the forums is subject to adhering to these.
Also, see the Guidelines for Posting. Moderators may sometimes tidy posts which do not follow these customs.

Newport opening day preview

Postby Sweden Stag » Fri Aug 02, 2019 1:34 pm

For the third time in just four seasons, the Stags play Newport County in an EFL opening day fixture. And for the fourth time overall as the two sides which went on to be promoted together from the current National League clashed at One Call Stadium on the opening day of the 2012-13 season.

This will now be the second time in three years, the sides play out an opener at Newport. Three years ago, an injury-time strike by Kevan Hurst sealed the tie in favour of the Stags. And from the then Stags line-up, only Benning, Danny Rose and CJ Hamilton are still at the Stags, while Kyle Howkins, then on loan, will, if selected on Saturday, be the next player to feature for the Stags and Newport in League fixtures. Howkins signed for the Exiles during the close-season.

The sides also faced other on the opening day of last season, but at One Call Stadium, where the Stags ran out 3-0 winners.

Incredibly enough, the Stags finished last season against Newport, following a narrow near-miss on automatic promotion on the final day of last season, a season which saw Newport secure the playoffs with three minutes remaining at Morecambe, our next League Two and cup opponents.

The first leg at Newport, watched by the previewer, was marred by the far worst refereeing display the previewer had ever seen when watching the Stags either live or on television. Enough printed. And had the away goals ruling counted in the UK, the Stags had been in the playoff finals as the second leg at One Call ended up goal-less. And eventually earning the right to play sides like Bolton, Sunderland and Ipswich, instead of another League Two campaign. In the end, Tranmere beat Newport in the playoff final.

This season will also mark the tenth consecutive one in which the Stags and the current Newport club play in the same division, starting on September 18, 2010 at Newport in a historic encounter inasmuch as two twin brothers managed the sides then, Dave Holdsworth for Stags and Dean for Newport.

Not for nearly 60 years, the Stags have played any League sides for ten consecutive seasons. Last happening against Wrexham between the 1947-48 and 1961-62 seasons, eleven of those in the old Division 3 (N), then two in the old third as founder members, then two in the old fourth after being relegated together in 1959-60.

Last season’s away fixture on February 9 saw not only a poor Stags display, also another stinker refereeing one.
Hopefully the ref for this weekend will perform much better than the two most recent ones at Rodney Parade.

Since pulling off a great relegation escape in 2016-17, Newport have fared much better, eventually ending up in 11th position in 2017-18, their second-best following promotion, the best being 7th last term. And the Exiles also have made very good FA Cup runs. In 2017-18, the Exiles kayoed Leeds at home in the round and were rewarded with a bumper home tie against Tottenham Hotspurs. Then, Newport much more than held their own against the PL opponents, close to dumping them out. But the Spurs equalized with seven minutes left and then won the Wembley replay to a 2-0 scoreline, Last season, Newport disposed of Leicester City at headquarters in the third round, then in the 90th minute at Middlesbrough managed a home replay, which was won. The reward was a dumper home tie against Manchester City, played a week after the latest Exiles v Stags League Two fixture.

After two defeats at Newport during the Conf days, the Stags went on to winning runs. The 1-0 defeat in 2012 was followed by thirteen Stags wins, one draw and one defeat before unluckily losing the playoff semifinals against York City, who a few years ago became the first side to be relegated from League Two and Conference National in successive seasons, now very unlikely to return to the FL for quite a long time (as the Minstermen are close to the drop zone even in Conf North).

And the 2-0 defeat at Newport in February 2013, incidentaly reffed by the same official who was in charge of the playoff semi-final first leg at Newport last term (details checked). was followed by the Stags’ record 12-match winning run on the way to the title and subsequent FL return. Newport followed a few weeks later after two late goals against Wrexham in the playoff final.

While the Stags have averaged three goals per home game against the current Newport club, the goals at Newport have been fewer. Just look at the stats below.

Played for both sides: Walter Akers, Neville Chamberlain, Roddy Collins, Fred Flanders, Dai Jones, Kevin Kent, Terence Melling, John Moore, Tommy Pritchard, Mick Vinter, Alan Waddle. Current Newport side: Jon Challinor, Adam Chapman, Rob Duffy, Matt Green, Jefferson Louis, Tom Naylor, Aaron O'Connor, Lenny Pidgeley, Mitchell Rose, Glyn Thompson. Kyle Howkins will be added if playing this weekend or later.

Stats against the old Newport club:

Home:P 9, W 6, D 2, L 1, GF 14, GA 7
Away:P 9, W 3, D 2, L 4, GF 7, GA 7

Home games Away games

1937-38 1-1 1937-12-04 0-1 1938-04-16 Division 3 (S)
1938-39 0-2 1939-11-01 0-0 1939-04-01 Division 3 (S)
1958-59 2-1 1959-01-31 0-1 1958-09-13 Division 3 (old)
1959-60 3-1 1959-11-21 1-0 1960-04-09 Division 3 (old)
1962-63 2-1 1963-04-20 1-1 1962-12-01 Division 4 (old)
1972-73 0-0 1973-03-26 1-0 1972-09-02 Division 4 (old)
1973-74 2-1 1974-02-24 0-2 1973-10-09Division 4 (old)
1974-75 3-0 1974-12-28 1-2 1975-03-31Division 4 (old)
1986-87 1-0 1986-11-25 3-0 1987-03-17Division 3 (old)

FA Cup

1964-65 0-3 1964-12-05 2nd round at Somerton Park, Newport

Current Newport club:

Home:P 9, W 7, D 1, L 1, GF 27, GA 9
Away:P 9, W 2, D 2, L 5, GF 6, GA 10

2010-11 3-3 2011-02-12 0-1 2010-09-18 BSP
2011-12 5-0 2011-09-10 0-1 2012-02-18 BSP
2012-13 3-4 2012-08-11 0-2 2013-02-12 BSP
2013-14 2-1 2014-03-08 1-1 2013-09-07 League Two
2014-15 1-0 2014-08-19 1-0 2015-03-03 League Two
2015-16 3-0 2015-10-03 0-1 2016-03-05 League Two
2016-17 2-1 2017-02-25 3-2 2016-08-06 League Two
2017-18 5-0 2018-02-13 1-1 2017-10-21 League Two
2018-19 3-0 2018-08-04 0-1 2019-02-09 League Two

FA Trophy
2010-11 4-2 2011-01-15 2nd round at Field Mill

Playoff semifinals:

2019-05-09 1-1 at Newport first leg
2019-05-12 0-0 at Mansfield second leg. Newport to the final 5-3 on penalties as the UK are the only country which doesn’t use the away goals ruling in two-legged knock-out competitions like playoff semi-finals. The Stags also suffered from that against York in 2012, but benefitted against Northampton in 2004. By the way, this season’s PL set-up had also been different if the away goals ruling had been in use in the playoffs.

Expect an interesting game this weekend, the first League One with John Dempster as Stags boss. Come on Mansfield!
Stockholm, July 4, 2008, 15.00 GMT. Good news came, K.H. gone. March 1, 2012. Ground purchased.
Sweden Stag
Assistant Manager
Assistant Manager
 
Posts: 1156
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:21 pm
Location: Karlstad, Sweden

Return to Stagsnet Main Discussion Forum

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: BH_Stag, Costastag, Dave Wayne, dublin_stag, hucknall stag, yorkshire stag and 116 guests