League Two: Newport County fight back to stun Doncaster 3-1

The Exiles ended a 10-game losing streak in style by fighting back from being 1-0 down at the break to a Rovers side tipped to be in the League Two promotion mix.

County trailed 1-0 at half-time after a terrific strike from inside the box by Owen Bailey in the 30th minute.

The hosts reacted well and could easily have gone into the break on level terms but winger Bobby Kamwa was denied by a fine save and then headed wide.

However, the summer signing got his first goal for the club – with Courtney Baker-Richardson confirming after the game that he didn't get a touch – in the 47th minute with a curling cross/shot after working a yard of space on the left of the area.

County hit the front with an absolute rocket by midfielder Kai Whitmore in the 66th minute, with the summer signing from Haverfordwest producing a long-range shot that Matty Dolan and Bryn Morris would be proud of, and that was soon followed by a third from defender Matt Baker.

Donny looked to respond but the Exiles held firm, doing the basics well as their boss had demanded.

LEVEL: Bobby Kamwa's shot went all the way through to put County back at 1-1 against Doncaster (Image: Gareth Everett)

It turned out to be a perfect start to life in Newport for this new-look side under their novice head coach Jardim.

Victory should settle the nerves after the last-gasp loss at Cheltenham on opening weekend and comprehensive 4-1 League Cup exit at Leyton Orient.

After beating a promotion contender – who had won 13 of their last 15 fixtures, with their last regular season league defeat on March 2 – the challenge is to back it up against an Accrington side who are tipped to be in County’s mini-league.

Jardim made two changes to the side that started at Cheltenham with Matt Baker and Kai Whitmore coming in for Kyle Jameson, who was on the bench, and the injured Oliver Greaves.

There was a change in system with County opting for wing-backs, which is more suited to both Shane McLoughlin down the right and Anthony Glennon on the left.

James Clarke was at the heart of the defence with Baker to his right and Ciaran Brennan on the left after being used in midfield in pre-season and at Whaddon Road.

The Exiles were fast out of the traps and had a chance in the second minute when Whitmore played in Bobby Kamwa down the left but his goal-bound shot was cleared in the six-yard box, with the ball then hitting captain Aaron Wildig and going over.

Doncaster responded with a similar attack but Brennan came up with a good block from a Harry Clifton effort.

Nick Townsend had to produce a solid stop in the 11th minute from a Jordan Gibson drive in a similar position to the Joel Colwill shot that eluded him for Cheltenham’s last-gasp winner.

SHOT: Shane McLoughlin has a crack for County (Image: Gareth Everett)

The ‘keeper then produced an excellent save to deny Clifton, diving low to his left to palm away a curled effort that was heading into the bottom corner.

Courtney Baker-Richardson had a shot well blocked on the turn around the penalty spot and then Townsend easily claimed a looping header from Clifton.

It was a tight contest but then Rovers hit the front approaching the half hour and it was a fantastic strike, Bailey thumping in a drive after Townsend had palmed away a dangerous Gibson cross.

County needed to respond, as they did to going 2-0 down in Cheltenham, and went agonisingly close in the 39th minute when a corner fell for Kamwa but Teddy Sharman-Lowe spread himself to make a terrific save.

A second golden chance swiftly came for the winger but he failed the hit the target with a header from a McLoughlin cross; it should have been 1-1 but the Exiles were playing catch-up in the second half.

Not for long.

Kamwa cut in from the left and curled a cross/shot that eluded Sharman-Lowe.

Doncaster looked to restore their lead and went close on the hour when Townsend was a little slow off his line – like understudy Jacob Carney at Leyton Orient in midweek – but crucially forced Joe Ironside wide and he could only hit the side-netting from a tight angle.

That miss proved to be costly when Whitmore carried the ball and then absolutely leathered a shot from distance into the top right corner.

It was soon 3-1 when a free-kick was initially cleared but then put back into the box for Baker to fire in on the turn.

Doncaster build some pressure but failed to create any clear chances as the clock ticked, with the Exiles holding firm from a series of set pieces.

There were some nerves when the board went up for seven minutes of added time and the free-kicks and corner kept racking up, but there was no denying County from tasting the winning feeling for the first time since Wimbledon in mid-March.

County: Townsend, McLoughlin, Baker, Clarke, Brennan, Glennon, Whitmore, Wildig (captain, Jephcott 77), Antwi, Kamwa (Rai 90), Baker-Richardson (Evans 88).

Substitutes: Carney, Thomas, Jameson, Wood.

Goals: Kamwa, Whitmore, Baker, Yellow: Glennon.

Doncaster scorers: Bailey, Referee: Scott Simpson.

Attendance: 4,755 (487 Doncaster).