Report: Iron 1-1 Newport County

The Iron drew 1-1 at home against Newport County in the first game of the Sky Bet League Two season on Saturday, after Ryan Loft fired home from 30-yards to equalise in the second half.

Within moments of the game starting, the Iron had a chance as Alex Gilliead got to the ball before passing to Abo Eisa. This was crossed to Ryan Loft but his header went marginally wide.

Five minutes in, Lewis Spence got the ball on the edge of the area and Eisa charged down the left. Eisa attempted to cross the ball in, however the area was crowded.

Eight minutes in, a weak shot from Newport saw the on-target effort be collected easily by Rory Watson. This was cleared away and allowed the Iron a run.

With 11 minutes played, a left corner was taken by Matt Dolan. This was taken short to Liam Shephard and crossed into Kyle Howkins but his header went wide of the target.

Six minutes later, Myles Hippolyte had to slide in and knocked the ball out for a corner. From the resultant set-play, the ball looped into the box and resulted in numerous goal attempts but all were cleared away.

Shortly after, from the final clearance, Loft had a run down the left and he sent the ball goalwards but it was blocked by Nick Townsend.

With 20 minutes gone, a free-kick from Scott Twine went into the box, George Hornshaw headed it away. Watson then saved the following shot which was a long-range attempt.

Soon after, Hippolyte had a run down the left side and crossed it into the box, before the ball was cleared away again by Newport County.

With 25 minutes played, an Iron ball into the area was volleyed goalwards by Hornshaw. The ball was well saved by Townsend for a corner. However, nothing came from the following corner.

With 32 minutes gone; the visitors went ahead. After a set-piece down the left side, Tristan Abrahams flicked the ball into the back of the net.

Six minutes later, Ryan Taylor went down the left and crossed the ball into the area. The ball went wide after pressure from the Iron defence.

With 41 minutes played, Jacob Bedeau defended the ball well in the area and it went out for a right corner. The ball looked dangerous before it was cleared by Hippolyte for another corner.

Just before half-time, Bedeau went down due to a head injury. With four minutes of added time, Hornshaw slid in and conceded a corner but nothing came from it.

With 50 minutes gone, a run down the centre for Eisa gave him a long-range shot on target. This again was well collected by Townsend.

Three minutes later, Hippolyte turned his man twice. It looked as though he had won a corner but it ricocheted off for a goal kick.

A moment after, Hornshaw looped the ball to Eisa, who headed it narrowly off target.

With 57 minutes gone, Bedeau made a run down the left side after a one-two with Hippolyte. This went out for a corner from which Vincent curled the ball into the box but it was easily gathered by Townsend.

With 58 minutes played, the Iron equalised after a brilliant shot from Loft 30 yards out, as he turned and struck it into the back of the net.

An hour in, Gilliead brought the ball from the left side, and he attempted a long-range shot but this went just off target.

Soon after, Eisa powered forward but his right-footed shot was blocked.

With 72 minutes played, Hippolyte had a shot from just inside the area after a pass from Eisa. But the ball went up and over the bar.

A moment later, Ryan Haynes had a shot from the edge of the box which was saved by Watson.

83 minutes gone, after McGahey blocked a cross, Newport got awarded a right corner. The corner curled in and was headed down by Howkins but it bounced down and over the bar.

Mere moments later, a right corner went into the six-yard box and Tyler Cordner cleared it away.

In the five minutes of added time, a free-kick was given to the Iron taken by Eisa. A cross curled to the back of the box but this went out for a goal kick.

The Iron face Crawley Town on Saturday away, and this game can be viewed on iFollow Iron. Match passes will be available to buy from early next week.

IRON: Watson, Bedeau, McGahey, Gilliead, Loft (Javis, 85), Eisa, Hippolyte, Spence, Vincent (Green, 71), Cordner, Hornshaw

SUBS NOT USED: Kelsey, Colclough, Dünnwald-Turan, Pugh, O’Malley

NEWPORT: Townsend, Haynes, Dolan (Cooper, 45), Howkins, Demetriou, Shephard, Labadie, Sheehan, Twine (Willmott, 90), Taylor (Janneh, 65), Abrahams

SUBS NOT USED: King, Baker, Amond, Collins