Newport County were involved in an eight-goal thriller but ultimately lost 5-3 to Bristol Rovers in a League Two local derby on Saturday. The match at the Memorial Stadium saw the Exiles take a shock lead after just 15 seconds before a chaotic second half unfolded.
According to the original match report, Harrison Biggins gave Newport County the perfect start by calmly slotting home almost immediately from kick-off. Ben Purrington headed Bristol Rovers level just before half-time, capitalising on a Bobby Kamwa header that came back off the crossbar. The hosts then scored twice in four minutes early in the second period through Fabrizio Cavegn and a Lee Jenkins own goal.
Shaquille Gwengwe pulled a goal back for the Exiles with a clever lob over goalkeeper Brad Young. Former Newport player Bobby Kamwa then made it 4-2 to Rovers with 16 minutes remaining. Cole Jarvis set up a tense finish by making it 4-3 deep into injury time, but Cavegn scored his second and Bristol's fifth in the ninth added minute to seal the points.
The result leaves Newport County searching for their first win of the new League Two season. The team's current position in the early table is also available on our standings page.
Barnet moved to the top of the table after a 3-1 away win at Shrewsbury Town, with two late goals from Charlie Lakin and Tom Knowles securing the victory. Crewe Alexandra remain the only other unbeaten side after a 1-0 home win against Northampton Town, with Josh March scoring the only goal on 53 minutes.
Chesterfield beat Salford City 1-0 thanks to a Lee Bonis goal in the second minute. Colchester United came from behind to defeat ten-man Oldham Athletic 2-1, while Exeter City scored twice in the opening 15 minutes to beat Accrington Stanley 2-0. Crawley Town picked up their first win of the season with a 2-1 victory at Rochdale.
The defensive performance, which conceded five goals, will be a concern for manager Graham Coughlan. Key players like Jordan Wright in goal and the back line will need to regroup quickly. A full overview of the playing staff available for selection can be found on our squad page.
Individual player statistics from the match and across the season so far are tracked on our dedicated stats section. The data shows Newport County have now conceded eight goals in their opening two league matches.
Newport County's next opportunity to get points on the board comes in their following League Two fixture, which is scheduled for Saturday, September 12th.
