Andrew Penman

Newport County AFC opened its League Two season with a convincing 3-0 victory over newly promoted Rochdale at Rodney Parade. First-half goals from Kyle Cameron and Shaquille Gwengwe, followed by a late strike from Yahya Bamba, secured the points, while Rochdale failed to produce a shot on target and were reduced to 10 men. Manager Hayden Mullins praised his players and the home support but said the team could improve its fitness, finishing and overall performance. He also stressed the importance of building a strong connection with the fans ahead of a difficult fixture against Bristol Rovers.

Newport County were eliminated from the Carabao Cup by AFC Wimbledon after a 1-1 draw and 5-4 penalty-shootout defeat, repeating concerns about late goals and missed penalties. Despite those setbacks, the team showed defensive resilience, created a higher expected-goals total than Wimbledon and produced promising performances from Yahya Bamba and Harrison Biggins. Newport remain bookmakers’ and statistical-model favourites for relegation, but manager Hayden Mullins believes the squad can improve, while injuries and limited depth make further loan additions a priority.

AFC Wimbledon defeated Newport County 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the Carabao Cup. Newport appeared set for victory when debutant Yahya Bamba scored a spectacular 71st-minute goal, shortly after Shaquille Gwengwe missed a penalty. Wimbledon substitute Callum Maycock equalised in the 97th minute, and Nathan Bishop then saved Matt Smith’s penalty before Steve Seddon converted the winning kick. Despite the loss, Newport’s disciplined first half and stronger second-half performance offered encouragement ahead of their League Two opener against Rochdale.