MANCHESTER United fan Graham Coughlan was quick to point to events at the Nou Camp in 1999 when asked about Newport County AFC’s set-piece prowess on Tuesday.
The manager used to make pilgrimages to Old Trafford when he was a youngster in Dublin so the Red Devils treble-winning success, which happened when he was at the start of his career as a centre-back with Livingston, is one of his sporting highs as a supporter.
Alex Ferguson’s side played with panache yet it was from a pair of David Beckham corners that they stunned Bayern Munich in the Champions League final through Teddy Sheringham (when the ball was put back into the box by Ryan Giggs) and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Those strikes sent those in red wild in a 90,245-strong crowd wild in Barcelona while 50 fans in amber out of 4,851 at Grimsby were able to roar their approval on Tuesday.
County drew 1-1 with the Mariners thanks to Priestley Farquharson’s close-range finish from Aaron Lewis’ corner.
The Exiles are ranked 20th for goals scored in League Two (33) but are joint top with Northampton for set piece goals (16).
Strikes from corners, free-kicks and long throws account for 48 per cent of their tally, a ratio that is high because of their struggles in converting chances in open play. Only Gillingham are as reliant on set pieces (10 of their paltry total of 21).
There are times when County’s delivery frustrates but they are second for set piece shots with 151 (average 4.4 per game), seven behind promotion-chasing Stevenage.
The club have already beaten last year’s tally of 11 set-piece goals (17th in the league) from their total of 67, when 169 shots (seventh) of 643 were from that method.
Former assistant Wayne Hatswell was famously diligent when it came to this facet of the game and the Exiles are back to being a threat from corners, free-kicks and throws.
“Until we can get one or two players in and a few players filling up with confidence and self-belief to put the ball in the back of the net in open play, we will take set pieces,” said Coughlan, who has been in charge for 12 of the goals.
“Manchester United won a European Cup in 1999 with two set pieces, Wigan won the FA Cup in 2013 on a set piece.
“They are a massive part of the game, never underestimate them. I pat people on the back for the time and effort they put in on set pieces.”
Corners account for 10 of the goals – six from the right and four from the left – while Mickey Demetriou’s long throw has created three.
Three free-kicks have led to goals but only one of them direct, when Adam Lewis’ effort went all the way through in Rochdale.
It’s not all good news, County are ranked sixth for goals conceded from set pieces.
The figure is 12 of their total of 40 – 30 per cent – yet they are still in credit for the campaign by four goals.
County’s set piece tally
Omar Bogle 4, Priestley Farquharson 3, Cameron Norman 2, Mickey Demetriou 2, Offrande Zanzala 2, Adam Lewis 1, Scot Bennett 1, Will Evans 1 (stats: whoscored.com).
The set piece goals
1: SUTTON (away) – Bogle.
Demetriou launched a long throw from the left and Bogle headed in off the left post for a debut goal on opening day.
2: SALFORD (home) – Bennett.
Scored from close range after the Ammies failed to deal with Aaron Lewis’ corner from the left.
3: SALFORD (home) – Bogle.
Lewis pumped a free-kick into the box from deep on the right, Bennett shot and it ricocheted for Bogle to slid in and level.
4: LEYTON ORIENT (away) – Evans.
Adam Lewis swung in a corner from the right and Evans evaded his marker to climb high and head in.
5: NORTHAMPTON (away) – Bogle.
The first of the Coughlan era. Demetriou’s long throw from the right was flicked on by Farquharson, with Bogle poking in from close range.
6: GILLINGHAM (home) – Farquharson.
Aaron Lewis’ corner from the right and the centre-back climbed high for his first professional goal.
7: GILLINGHAM (home) – Farquharson.
The defender made it a double, flicking in after a Demetriou long throw was glanced on by Norman.
8: CREWE (away) – Norman.
A corner from the right was headed towards goal by Bennett and cleared, hit back in by Declan Drysdale and cleared again to Norman, who worked a yard and drilled a shot into the left corner.
9: CREWE (away) – Zanzala.
Crewe failed the clear an Aaron Lewis free-kick, which led to Norman crossing for the right and Farquharson heading across goal. Zanzala finished left-footed on the turn from six yards out.
10: CRAWLEY (home) – Zanzala.
A corner from the left by Aaron Lewis that the striker nodded in to make it 2-2.
11: ROCHDALE (away) – Adam Lewis.
The left-back equalised with his first County goal thanks to a free-kick from the right that went all the way in.
12: BARROW (away) – Demetriou.
Demetriou powered in a header at the death from Adam Lewis’ whipped corner from the right.
13: STEVENAGE (home) – Bogle.
Counts as coming from a corner from the right, even though it was cleared and then hoofed back into the box from halfway via Farquharson with Bogle firing in with his left.
14: WALSALL (away) – Norman.
Adam Lewis’ corner from the right and Norman climbed above his marker to nod in against his old side.
15: HARTLEPOOL (away) – Demetriou.
Demetriou repeated the trick glancing in a header from Aaron Lewis’ inswinging corner from the left.
16: GRIMSBY (away) – Farquharson.
Aaron Lewis’ deep corner from the left was prodded in by Farquharson, who peeled off to make a run to the back post.
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