YORK 2 NEWPORT COUNTY 0

NEWPORT County are looking to the future after the big disappointment of losing out to York in the FA Trophy Final at Wembley on Saturday. 

County were looking good at half-time, even though the match was goal-less. They had York under the cosh and it looked only a matter of time before they found the net.

However, two goalf from Matty Blair and Lanre Oyebanjo, the latter who was given the Man of the Match award, saw the County fall despite two late chances where Ismail Yakubu hit the bar.

Former Newport County player and manager John Relish said: “They can go on from this. I remember when we nearly went up into the old First Division and lost out by a point. The club fell apart after that.

“But they have pulled themselves back from possible relegation at the start of the season to safety in the table and now this final. They can go on from here.”

Current manager Justin Edinburgh said: “I can’t fault the effort but in terms of having that cutting edge, we were just found lacking.

“It was a monumental day for the club,” added Edinburgh. “Lee Evans was absolutely immense and I thought Lee Minshull was brilliant too because we asked him to play in an unusual position for him.

“We have to learn from what happened today and make sure that it doesn’t happen again. Next time we’re here I want us to be going up those stairs second, as winners.”

York were slow out of the blocks though, as Newport started the game on top and really should have taken the lead within ten minutes through Romone Rose, who broke clear of the last defender following Sam Foley’s dummy. His attempted finish was poor though, side-footing straight at York ‘keeper Michael Ingham with the goal at his mercy.

York weathered that early storm though and almost opened the scoring in the 23rd minute when Patrick McLaughlin struck a left-footer from just outside the area, which took a deflection to wrong-foot Glyn Thompson. Fortunately for the Welshmen, it rolled just wide of the post.

Rose came a little closer just after the half-hour mark, when he cut in from the left and fired in a shot from 25 yards which went narrowly over. Moments later, Nat Jarvis on the opposite side collected a pass from Foley before placing a curling effort just wide of the post.

McLaughlin was equally close at the other end, when a free-kick routine between Jason Walker and Ashley Chambers set up a shooting chance for the midfielder but his low drive was just off target.

With half-time less than a minute away, County were grateful to Thompson as his full-stretch save kept out Jon Challinor’s low strike at goal and ensured it was all square at the break.

The second-half began in much the same vein as the first 45 minutes, with neither side showing much in the way of productivity, but the deadlock was finally broken just after the hour mark. Defender Daniel Parslow won the ball back for City in his own half before chipping a pass forward over the Newport defence. Blair was quickly onto it from deep, beating Thompson to the ball and lifting it over him and into the goal to follow up his winning strike from the Semi-Final and celebrate in style with the City fans assembled behind that goal.

Seven minutes later and City had doubled their advantage, as Chambers skipped clear down the right before crossing into the centre for Oyebanjo to knock home from close range and put his side firmly in control and within touching distance of The Trophy.

Newport gave it everything they had in a bid to get back in the game and they were denied by the post in the 88th minute when Ismail Yakubu guided a header in a crowded box over Thompson, only to see it bounce back off the woodwork and out to safety.

That went to prove the luck just wasn’t with County on the day, but there was no lack of effort from them and their supporters certainly made that known at the final whistle with a rousing reception for Justin Edinburgh and his players before the Minstermen made their climb to the Royal Box to get their hands on The Trophy and it’s a similar walk they will want to be making next weekend too.

By Gary Baker

STEPHEN Hendry has made the right decision to quit professional snooker at the top, reckons one of his closest friends on the circuit, Welsh ace Darren Morgan.

Retiring snooker champion Stephen Hendry PICTURE: Ian Cook

The pair were inseperable when they were team-mates with the Scottish stable Cuemasters in the 1990s, sharing rooms and sitting next to each other on planes abroad.

Morgan retired from the game in 2007 and returned to the amateur ranks to play for his country although many of his contemporaries thought he finished his career in the paid ranks too early.

World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn has said the same about 43-year-old Hendry who is developing a mobile apps business, with a lot of his time being spent over in China now.

Morgan, 45, said: “To be honest, it doesn’t surprise me in the least. Stephen and I were big friends when we were in the same team on the circuit.

“We always went out for meals and, although I don’t see him that often now other than at the Welsh Open each year, we always share texts at Christmas and New Year.”

Hendry hit a 147 maximum break in his Betfred.com World Championships first round against Stuart Bingham last week and then knocked out reigning world champion John Higgins in the second round.

But the seven-times global winner, who had to qualify for this year’s tournament, was thumped 13-2 in Tuesday night’s quarter-final by fellow Scot Stephen Maguire and, after the match, announced his immediate retirement.

Morgan added: “Stephen always said to me that he would finish around his 30th birthday and he always wanted to go out at the top.

“He has probably come to realise that he will not win it (the World Championships) anymore. He has probably done the right thing to get out now when he is a true champion.”

Other players, most notably six-times world champion Steve Davis, have continued on the professional circuit even though it means having to qualify for ranking events throughout the season.

They almost always mean playing in the dreaded ‘box’ with only the family of the opposition watching and hoping their man beats the big star.

That, added Morgan, would not suit Hendry. The Welsh ace, who was ranked as high as number eight during his time alongside his Scottish team-mate, added: “Davis still loves to be involved. He likes to test himself in the qualifiers and knock the young players over.

“He doesn’t mind getting a win now and again but it’s different for Stephen. He’s only ever wanted to win in his career. Win, win, win – that’s all he cares about. It is instilled in him

“He has proved he can play again in this year’s World Championships and he has hit that 147 but, when he was not been winning, as he hasn’t been a lot in the last couple of years, it must be extremely frustrating for him.”

By Jackie Huybs

FIVE masters swimmers from across Gwent are preparing for the toughest physical challenge of their lives – crossing the English Channel.

Gwent's English Channel swimmers

The relay team of three men and two women will battle choppy waters, sea sickness, exhaustion and extreme cold during their July swim, all while tackling one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world.

They will have to leave their wetsuits at home and are allowed to wear only swimsuits, goggles and swim caps.  They also have to complete a two-hour sea swim beforehand, which is assessed by the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation, the governing body responsible for the code of rules on Channel swimming.

“Each of us will have to swim for an hour at a time, with the person taking over getting into the water and overtaking the one swimming before he/she can get out until their next time”, said event organiser Beckie Comins from Caldicot.

“The distance is 22 miles, but we’ll probably swim further than that due to the water currents and the shipping lane.”

The team comprises former Welsh international and Welsh Masters 50m butterfly record holder Andrew Parker, 31, of Cwmbran, Pontypool Masters member Gemma Blackmore, 27, a radiographer at Nevill Hall Hospital, Abergavenny, Richard Stride, 33, an electrician who also lives in Pontypool and is an experienced sea swimmer, exercise referral instructor Craig Williams, 30, of Cwmbran, and Beckie Comins, 42, a Learning Support Assistant at Caldicot Comprehensive School,

“We are all strong swimmers and have been doing a lot of endurance swimming in various pools,” Beckie added.  “Our main challenge is to get used to the cold sea, the salty water that goes with it and sea sickness.

“We have done a couple of swims at Trecco Bay to start getting that experience, we have also swum in a lake in Bristol and at the National Diving and Activity Centre near Chepstow.  A couple of us have managed without our wetsuits in eight-degree water.”

The quintet are swimming on behalf of the National Brain Appeal, a charity which raises money for the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), one of the world’s leading centres for the research and treatment of brain disorders.

Ten million people in the UK suffer from a neurological condition, either from birth, through injury or from a slowly developing illness that occurs later in life. These include migraines, Multiple Sclerosis, brain and spinal cancer, epilepsy, Parkinson’s Disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s Disease and head injury.

The National Brain Appeal fundraises for cutting edge equipment, buildings and research at the hospital to ensure it retains its position as the leading centre for neurology and neurosurgery, and continues its mission towards combating brain disorders.

The Gwent team has so far raised just over £1,700 through sponsor forms and various events such as selling raffle tickets for a prize draw which takes place at a party this Friday (5 May 2012) at Cwmbran Rugby Club.

Prizes include a night for two with breakfast at the Celtic Manor Resort, a meal for four at the Marriott St Pierre Hotel, two House of Fraser beauty hampers, a manicure at the Essence of Beauty Hair & Beauty Resort at Dewstow Golf Course, two sports massages at the B-Active Clinic in Griffithstown, a signed Ospreys rugby shirt, a rugby ball signed by the Welsh squad, and £150 cash.

The team is grateful to local band Better Late Then Never for providing the music at the party for free.  During the evening, an auction will be held for a photograph from the legendary 1973 Barbarians versus All Blacks rugby match, signed by seven of the players.

If anyone would like to sponsor the team they can due via Just Giving at www.justgiving.com/Craig-Williams10 .