Clevedon Town run out of steam in action-packed Cup clash

CLEVEDON TOWN 1 NEWPORT 3

Clevedon Town were knocked out of the FA Cup after an all-action match, which featured four goals and three red cards, at a packed Hand Stadium.

Two early goals for the visitors proved crucial, the second coming from a penalty after Town's Ben Evans had been sent off, but the Seasiders put in an impressive second-half performance to get themselves back into the game.

Both sides had a player sent off after an hour, but nine-man Clevedon looked the better side and pulled a goal back through Tom Billing.

However, they ran out of steam in the final 15 minutes and Newport sealed victory with Nathan Davies' curling effort from 20 yards as the match went into injury time.

In front of a crowd of 623, Clevedon made a bright start and Lee Molyneaux headed an early chance wide.

Newport took the lead in the sixth minute when Clevedon keeper Danny Greaves came for a corner and failed to make contact, leaving Craig Reid with a simple finish at the far post.

Newport were given the chance to double their lead from the penalty spot after midfielder Kevin Cooper was brought down in the penalty area by Ben Evans.

The referee had little option but to show the Clevedon centre-back a red card and Reid sent Greaves the wrong way from the penalty spot.

A head injury to Newport's Gary Colborne gave Clevedon 10 minutes of both sides having 10 men and they twice went close to pulling a goal back through Craig Loxton and Josh Brigham.

Substitute Billing – who came on when Blakemore was injured in the same incident that hurt Colborne – shot wide from the edge of the penalty area in the 32nd minute, while the visitors also had a few half chances before the half-time whistle went.

With most of the players already off the pitch, Brigham's arguments with the referee earned the full-back a yellow card, which was to prove crucial in the second half. After a lively start to the second period, the match boiled over in the 48th minute. Newport left-back Martyn Giles flew in late on Brigham – a challenge which was almost certainly going to earn him a booking – and then made further contact as Clevedon's right-back lay on the floor. The linesman decided that this was a stamp and warranted a straight red card and an incensed Brigham immediately leapt to his feet and confronted Giles.

They stood face to face and Giles went to the floor as if he had been headbutted, although little – if any – contact had been made. However, although the referee agreed that Brigham was not guilty of violent conduct, his aggressive actions were deemed worthy of a second yellow card and he too was sent off.

The Seasiders remained the livelier side and were rewarded when an attempted one-two between Loxton and Sean Seavill fell to Billing, who volleyed calmly past the onrushing keeper.

However, Newport sealed victory late on through Davies.