FA CUP: Yate Town 3, Newport County 1

YATE pulled off an historic win over ten-man Newport County to reach the first round of the FA Cup for the first time.

Scott Thomas and Matt Groves scored in the space of five minutes in extra-time to send Rob Cousins' side marching on to face League Two outfit Cheltenham Town.

That was after Tom Knighton struck a second-half equaliser from the penalty spot to send the replay past 90 minutes.

It was the second time in four days that Yate Town had stunned the Blue Squad Premier League leaders after a 3-3 draw at Lodge Road on Saturday.

Groves, Danny Wring and Knighton caused havoc in Newport's defence all night, the defence threw themselves in the way of any shot and the few times County did break through, goalkeeper Josh Dempsey was in inspired form.

Buoyed by their first tie, Yate showed plenty of commitment and ambition at Rodney Parade and made a clear statement of intent from the start.

Wring and Knighton combined with a sweeping counter-attack as early as the fifth minute only for Ollie Barnes to fire over the bar.

Page had just been booked for reacting to a foul when Newport took the lead against the run of play. Harley Purnell allowed Jefferson Louis to head the ball into the six-yard box where Aaron O'Connor pounced to tap in past Josh Dempsey.

O'Connor had started Newport's comeback at Lodge Road and looked to have knocked the wind out of Yate's sails as County gained the upper hand. But the game swung dramatically in the visitors' favour with two reckless moments of indiscipline by Newport.

First, skipper David Pipe was sent off on 65 minutes for a second bookable foul on Page. And that kick-started Yate as Wring, Groves and Knighton pressed forward.

James Harper made a half-hearted appeal for a penalty that infuriated Newport's former Chelsea keeper Lenny Pidgeley who shoved the Yate midfielder to the ground.

Amid the furore, two Newport players were booked, but ice-cool Knighton kept his head to smash his penalty to the right of Pidgeley and blow the tie wide open.

Memories of Saturday's heart-ache flooded back as Newport laid siege late on, but Josh Dempsey produced a string of superb saves to take the tie into extra-time.

Against ten man, Yate only grew in confidence as Jack Cox had a shot saved.

From the resulting corner, Adnam Hiroli headed against the crossbar before Thomas reacted quickest to fire Yate 2-1 ahead after 109 minutes.

And any fears of letting the lead slip this time were wiped away when Groves – the two goal hero last weekend – skipped down the left wing before cutting inside and smashing home six minutes from time.

Newport County: L Pidgeley; D Pipe (capt), M Porter, T James, L Minshull, A Sandell, J Thomson (A Hughes, 77), L Evans, B Swallow, A O'Connor, J Louis (R Charles, 83).

Yate Town: J Dempsey; T Warren, H Purnell (M Bryant, 110), S Thomas, O Barnes, M Groves, D Wring, E Vahid (capt), J Harmer (J Cox, 77), T Knighton, M Page (A Hiroli, 90).

Referee: Paul Rees.

Attendance: 1,463.