Newport County AFC vs Portsmouth. Sky Bet League Two.
Rodney ParadeAttendance4,575.
Saturday 10 January 2015 18:10, UK
Newport climbed into the automatic promotion places in League Two thanks to a controversial 1-0 home win against Portsmouth.
Pompey's new signing Matt Tubbs flattered to deceive in a game decided by Mark Byrne's heavily-contested winner. Their seventh win in eight matches moves the Welsh side above Shrewsbury and into third position in the table. Portsmouth could have had a penalty after 43 minutes when Jed Wallace dribbled into the area and was dragged down by Byrne, but referee Michael Bull waved away the protests. The game sprang to life after the break as Andy Sandell went close for Newport and Tubbs failed to convert a chance from close range. But the hosts got the controversial breakthrough after 68 minutes. As Byrne shot from the left corner of the box, Aaron O'Connor ran across the line of the ball and it eventually found the bottom corner of the net. O'Connor was ruled offside by the assistant referee but Bull, to the anger of the Portsmouth players and fans, awarded the goal after he decided the striker did not get a touch.
