Rampant Valiants score four to take all three points back to Staffordshire.
The hosts were forced into an early change after Shane McLoughlin limped off after three minutes. This meant that the Newport manager, Nelson Jardim had to shake up his back line and bring on Nelson Sanca to fill in at centre half.
This change shook the hosts and Vale took full advantage in the 5th minute when Jayden Stockley headed the Valiants into the lead. Benicio showed good feet down the right side to work space for a cross that was headed home by the Vale forward the back post to grab his first goal for the club.
After going behind, the hosts had a good opportunity to instantly level the game when Bobby Kamwa cut inside and forced a good save from Connor Ripley in the Vale goal. Following this attack, Vale broke forward with Ethan Chislett who exchanged passes on the edge of the box with Benicio before firing over.
In the 23rd minute, the hosts levelled the scores against the run of play when a cross from the left was headed home by Newport skipper Aaron Wildig who seemed to be free in the six-yard box.
Ten minutes before the break, Vale regained the lead through Jayden Stockley who scored his second goal of the game. Benicio’s corner was cleared as far as Brandon Cover who sent it back into the box, Ben Garrity then won the flick-on before Stockley popped up to beat the keeper to the ball and put his side ahead.
The referee indicated seven minutes off first half added time in which Bobby Kamwa struck a free kick from a dangerous position into the wall, and Ethan Chislett saw his deep freekick comfortably saved by Nick Townsend in the Exiles goal.
In the second half, Vale shot out of the blocks and had a good opportunity after just 30 seconds. Lorent Tolaj’s header found the forward run of Benecio who beared down on goal but Anthony Glenonn came across and cut off the angle and the danger was cleared.
Two minutes later, Vale were rewarded for their rapid start when we doubled our lead. Lorent Tojal won the ball off the defender before unselfishly teeing up Ethan Chislett who was able to finish calmy and score his first goal of the season.
In the 54th minute, Vale added another! Ethan Chislett spotted the overlapping run of Kyle John who had burst into the box, before pulling the ball back into the path of Lorent Tolaj who squeezed his shot between the keeper and defender on the line to grab his second goal is as many games.
It went from bad to worse for the hosts as they were reduced to ten-men on the hour mark when Cian Brennan was shown a straight red for an off the ball incident after he was tackled by Ben Garrity.
In the 67th minute the hosts another man sent off for another incident off the ball. Newport were making a substitute, but whilst this was going on, Newport defender Cameron Evans had kicked the ball towards the face of a travelling Vale fan which was spotted by the officials and Evans was subsequently sent off.
Now up against nine men, Vale looked to add a fifth, but Rico Richards’ close-range effort was well saved by Nick Townsend who raced off his line to deny the Vale substitute.
Despite being three goals adrift and being down to nine men, the hosts were still battling. They came close in the 80th minute when Aaron Wilding picked up the ball and curled and effort off the top of the crossbar.
In the 87th minute, Vale worked the ball across the box to Rico Richards who curled an effort towards the far post, but Nick Townsend flung himself across goal and got enough on it to turn it around the post. The following corner was cleared as far as Jason Lowe who saw his cross headed wide at the back post by Ben Garrity.
After a chaotic second half, the referee indicated 11 minutes off added time. In the first minute of this, Vale had a golden chance to add a fifth when Kyle John’s low cross was perfect for Tolaj but his low effort was well saved by Townsend before Tojal blazed the rebound over.
TEAM NEWS:
Newport County: Nick Townsend, Anthony Glennon, Ciaran Brennan, Bobby Kamwa (Oliver Greaves 68’, Bryn Morris, Courtney Baker-Richardson (Kyle Hudlin 63’), Cameron Antwi (Kieron Evans 63’), Shane McLoughlin (Nelson Sanca 3’), Kyle Jameson, Aaron Wilding ©, Cameron Evans
Subs not used: Jacob Carney, Kiban Rai, Luke Jephcott.
Port Vale: Connor Ripley, Connor Hall, George Byers (Jason Lowe 65’), Ben Garrity ©, Jayden Stockley (Antwoine Hackford 74’), Ethan Chislett (Ruari Paton 74’), Lorent Tolaj, Jesse Debrah, Kyle John, Brandon Cover (Tom Sang 65’, Benecio (Rico Richards 54’).
Subs not used: Ben Amos, Ben Heneghan.
