Newport IOW 3 Petersfield Town 2: PETERSFIELD Town missed out on the chance to play Premier League AFC Bournemouth’s academy side after their exit from the Hampshire Senior Cup last Tuesday night.
That was the prize for the winners of this first round tie on the Isle of Wight and the Rams went close to at least taking this to a penalty shoot-out at the end of 90 minutes.
The home side took the lead on nine minutes when Petersfield half cleared the ball out to the Newport left wing but Charlie Urry was on hand to head home when the ball was crossed back into the box.
The visitors had the ball in the net two minutes later but the match officials failed to give what looked a perfectly good goal.
Max Elward headed a corner from the right towards goal and Luke Walker was able to turn and prod the ball over the line from four yards out. The keeper clawed the ball away but it looked to have clearly crossed the line – the linesman appeared to signal it was a goal but the home side played on and the goal was not awarded.
Petersfield did get back on level terms on 15 minutes when Walker was sent tumbling inside the penalty area and Luke Kendall fired home his spot kick.
The game was a fairly open affair after this with the next chance of note not coming until five minutes before half time.
Urry broke clear from midfield with the ball and fired off a low shot which keeper George Hill got enough of a touch to to turn the ball around the post.
Newport got their second goal on 43 minutes when they were awarded a free kick on the edge of the penalty area. Aidan Sainsbury curled his shot over the wall and Hill could only help it on its way into the roof of the net.
The home side continued their strong finish to the first half at the start of the second half when Emerson Tattersall got the ball on the edge of the Petersfield penalty area after the home side played the ball forward quickly after successfully defending a corner.
He tried to beat Hill with a low shot from the edge of the penalty area but the Rams keeper made an excellent save to prevent him finding the net.
Newport went 3-1 up on 55 minutes when they broke forward down the right and a low cross across the face of goal was turned home by captain Scott Sampson.
Hill made another fine low save to deny Tattersall and at the other end Will Essai had his shot blocked and keeper William O’Carroll got down well to his left to prevent Grant Powell firing home the rebound.
Tattersall then headed over the top when well placed and Josh Younie headed home a cross only for his goal to be ruled out for offside.
Petersfield pulled a goal back on 67 minutes when Kendall curled a free kick from the edge of the penalty area over the wall and it bounced into the net off the underside of the crossbar.
After this both sides traded chances as the Rams looked to force an equaliser and Newport sought the goal which would put the result beyond doubt for them.
Substitute Joe Boxall tried his luck from the right hand edge of the penalty area but O’Carroll made a comfortable save and at the other end Hill beat away another shot from Tattersall.
Kendall was inches away from completing his hat-trick when a low cross was sent across the face of goal from the right but he couldn’t stretch enough to get the touch on the ball needed to take it over the line.
Hill rounded off a good display with another fine save late on – this time he dived full stretch to his right to push away substitute Darren Powell’s goal-bound header from a corner.
Petersfield: Hill, Johnson, Kershaw, Tremlett, Harvey, Elward, Bedford (Boxall), Kendall, Walker (Filary), Powell, Essai. Sub not used: Geddes, Eaton.