Newport County won 2-1 away against Port Vale yesterday afternoon in League Two.
With the Exiles now unable to finish in a play-off position, new boss James Rowberry will now have his sights set on a successful campaign next season. County have massively improved since the appointment of the former Cardiff City coach and could be set for a bright future under the leadership of a young manager.
The Welsh side started the first half on the front foot, Ryan Haynes (3′) putting Newport County ahead early on, grabbing his third goal of the season. An uneventful half was emphasised by a number of half chances by two sides unable to find another breakthrough since Haynes’ early finish.
The second-half started with the Valiants looking more rejuvenated, determined to bring themselves back into game. The Staffordshire side’s prayers where answered when Ben Garrity (51′) neatly tucked the ball away to make the score level. After a barrage of Newport County attacks and creative play, loanee Finn Azaz (72′) struck again to ensure the Exiles took all three points back to South Wales.
Here are three Newport County players that impressed in the 2-1 win against Port Vale…
Finn Azaz – WhoScored rating 8.9
The Aston Villa loanee has been a stand-out performer since joining Newport County at the start of the season. Azaz’s ability to create chances in the final third and superb dribbling have caught the eye at Rodney Parade for the majority of the campaign.
The 20-year-old was able to score the winning goal, also setting up Hayne’s effort in the early stages of the game. The midfielder was also superb going forward, making three key dribbles on a success rating of 75%.
Ryan Haynes – WhoScored rating 7.7
Haynes has been a regular starter for most of the season, once again impressing with his contributions both offensively and defensively. The 26-year-old failed to make any tackles but impressed in other ways.
The former Shrewsbury Town man opened the scoring early on to put the Welsh side on the front-foot. Haynes also boasted a passing success rate of 74%, completing 17 passes.
Scot Bennett – WhoScored rating 7.2
The veteran midfielder showed his wealth of experience throughout the game, making five tackles and three interceptions to ensure that Newport County were able to take all three points.
Bennett was also impressive with his distribution, successfully completing 24 passes with a success rate of 62%.
