Newport County held to goalless draw by Bristol City in pre-season clash
Newport County and Bristol City played out a tense goalless draw at the Robins High Performance Centre on Tuesday afternoon, leaving both sides frustrated in their final pre-season tune-up. The Exiles, sitting 20th in League Two with 43 points from 46 games, now face a four-day window packed with two more fixtures as they chase form before the campaign restarts.
What happened on the pitch?
City started brightly, piling pressure on the Newport backline early on. Max Bird’s header in the first half flew just wide, while Scott Twine’s effort clipped the bar over Jordan Wright’s head. Newport’s Shaquille Gwengwe nearly broke the deadlock before half-time, but was flagged offside after pouncing on a loose ball from Kieron Evans.
The second half saw Newport push harder. Harrison Biggins forced a save from the Bristol keeper, while Gwengwe went down in the box under minimal contact-no penalty given. Ged Garner’s late strike drifted just wide, sealing the stalemate. The Exiles have now played four pre-season games, with two wins, one loss, and this draw.
Why it matters for Newport County
With the new campaign looming, Newport’s attack needs sharper finishing. They’ve scored 48 goals but conceded 77-leaving them 29 goals adrift and 44 points behind Bromley in the title race. Their recent run of four straight wins ended in May, but the squad still has work to do before the opener.
What comes next for the Exiles?
Newport’s busy pre-season continues with two more fixtures in four days. The focus shifts to sharpening set-pieces and converting half-chances-areas that cost them in Tuesday’s stalemate. The squad will hope the extra games iron out the kinks before League Two’s curtain rises.
League standing: 20th in League Two, 43 pts, 12W-7D-27L from 46 games, recent form WWLWL.
