Newport County 2 Leeds United 1
This was classic third-round FA Cup tie territory in every sense and Newport County relished the chance to play up to the script, inflicting on Leeds United a humiliating exit from the competition for the second season running. Shawn McCoulsky, on loan from Bristol City, was the hero for the League Two club as his 89th-minute header took Newport into the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time since 1979.
It was a deserved victory for Newport and a miserable afternoon for Leeds, who were dumped out of the FA Cup by non-league Sutton United in January last year, when Garry Monk fielded a reserve team. Thomas Christiansen, the man who replaced Monk as manager, made nine changes to the Leeds side that started here and the wisdom of that decision will be questioned as Newport, 53 places below them on the league ladder, pulled off a famous triumph.
Trailing to Gaetano Berardi’s early long-range strike – the first of the 29-year-old’s career – Newport showed tremendous courage and were rewarded for their perseverance with two goals in the final 15 minutes. Conor Shaughnessy turned Frank Nouble’s cross into his own net for the equaliser and then came McCoulsky’s emphatic header. To compound an awful day for Leeds, Samuel Sáiz was sent off seconds later.
It was a bitterly cold afternoon in south Wales, as a biting wind swept across a surface that was always likely to cause a few problems as the ball bobbled around and players struggled to keep their footing. Leeds, however, were up against more than just the conditions as Newport played with plenty of belief and confidence, despite falling behind inside nine minutes.
The home team certainly looked more dangerous than Leeds for long periods of the first half, with Robbie Willmott seeing plenty of the ball on the right flank and delivering a regular supply of crosses into the Leeds area. Yet that little bit of composure and finesse in front of goal was missing when Newport needed it most.
Padraig Amond, Newport’s top scorer, volleyed over from 10 yards out and also saw an effort cleared off the line by Mateusz Klich following a goalmouth scramble. Sandwiched between those two chances, Joss Labadie, the Newport captain, headed tamely into the arms of Andy Lonergan from Matty Dolan’s cross. Leeds, in short, knew that they were in a cup tie.
The visitors, however, always had the comfort of that opening goal, which came a little out of the blue. Ben White, the Newport central defender, was unable to get much distance on his clearance and Berardi, one of only two survivors from the Leeds team that drew with Nottingham Forest on New Year’s Day, stepped forward to thump a low, swerving 25-yard shot that flashed past Joe Day and into the corner.
Berardi picked up a yellow card for his manic celebrations, during which he ran into the Leeds fans behind the goal, yet it was easy to forgive him after waiting so long to experience that feeling.
Leeds could, and possibly should, have taken the lead even sooner. There were less than 10 seconds on the clock when Jay-Roy Grot, who was making only his third Leeds start, had a wonderful opportunity to register his first goal for the club as he found himself clean through with only Day to beat. Grot seemed to try to lift the ball over Day but ended up shooting harmlessly into the keeper’s arms.
Newport recovered well after that shaky opening and started the second half as they finished the first, desperately pushing for an equaliser. Amond’s overhead kick found the side-netting, Labadie volleyed over and Nouble, a towering figure at the far post, needed to attack the ball with more conviction when another Willmott cross caused consternation in the Leeds defence.
In that sense it was no real surprise when Leeds were pegged back. Nouble, racing down the right flank, whipped in a low centre that was always going to be difficult to deal with and Shaughnessy ended up diverting the ball into his own net with what seemed to be more shin than boot. McCoulsky’s late header sealed Newport’s fightback. – Guardian service
