6:19pm Friday 1st January 2010
By Steve Carley
SHABIR Khan was sent off as Worcester City were beaten 1-0 in a fiery start to 2010 at Newport County.
Richard Dryden’s battlers had more than matched the runaway Blue Square South leaders but were pinned back after they had been reduced to 10 men.
Shabir got his marching orders in the 68th minute following an off-the-ball incident, allegedly for an elbow on Kerry Morgan, spotted by the linesman.
The City left-back was incensed and needed to be restrained by assistant manager Carl Heeley as several players waded in amid ugly scenes.
It was the last thing the visitors needed following their efforts in south Wales which had Dean Holdsworth’s side rattled for large periods, and they conceded from Sam Foley 11 minutes from time.
Watched by a crowd of 2,525, Newport piled on the early pressure and could have been ahead inside six minutes. Jake Meredith produced a save from point-blank range to deny Craig Reid and then helped Foley's effort over the bar amid a scramble in the six-yard box.
City, though, weathered the storm and had reason to feel aggrieved in the 24th minute as Marc McGregor was bundled over on the edge of the area and Matt Birley swept the loose ball into net. However, referee Derek Eaton had blown for the foul on McGregor when he might have played the advantage, much to the annoyance of an animated Dryden.
The visitors continued to grow in confidence, unfazed by their hosts’ lofty league position, and forced keeper Glyn Thompson into action. The former Hereford custodian made a superb save to deny Wayne Daniel’s header from Alfie Carter's corner, having seconds earlier needed defender Wayne Turk to come to his rescue after Carter had got beyond the keeper.
Newport finished the half stronger and Meredith dived to his left to touch Morgan’s long-range effort past the post two minutes before the break. Captain Kemp then threw himself in the way of Reid’s shot to keep the scoresheet blank.
Within two minutes of the restart Foley split the defence but Reid blazed horribly over.
A bizarre moment followed as Kemp and Rob Davies, in for Craig Wilding, appeared to scrap between themselves and the latter was booked.
Thompson then blocked Danny Carey-Bertram’s effort and, from the resulting corner, Clyde’s header was cleared off the line.
Marco Adaggio replaced McGregor just before the game erupted. Morgan was tackled by Shabir but seconds later the Newport player went to ground. The referee consulted his linesman and sent the City left-back off. Newport full-back Jamie Collins was booked for his part in the aftermath.
It proved the turning point. Carter went to left-back and City dug in but they were undone when Morgan’s cross found Foley who couldn’t miss from two yards.
City: Meredith 8*, Ward 7, Shabir 6, Clyde 8, Daniel 8, Kemp 8, Davies 7, Birley 7, McGregor (Adaggio 57, 7) 7, Carey-Bertram 7 (Spencer 85), Carter 8. Subs not used: Walker, Fitzpatrick, Bridges.
Attendance: 2,525.
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