NEWPORT 0 CITY 0

ONLY three of Newport’s side had appeared at Wembley.

The Exiles line-up was much changed from that which had succumbed to a contentious penalty against Morecambe in the play-off final.

Even long-standing manager Michael Flynn had moved on.

But the home fans had not forgotten the events of 131 days previously – nor what had been said about Newport “getting their comeuppance”.

Derek Adams might have deliberately played it down in the build-up but he knew exactly what was coming in south Wales. He was not disappointed.

From the gale of boos that greeted his arrival on the touchline, the Newport faithful gave it to the City boss with both barrels.

Some of the chanting might have been a bit too near the knuckle but the barrage of abuse was relentless.

And, then of course, there was the unused Newport substitute stirring the pot.

Kevin Ellison was not given the chance by caretaker boss Wayne Hatswell to try and make another point with the manager he fell out with at Morecambe.

But that did not stop him getting involved with a whispered aside as he went past the City dug-out on the way for a warm-up run.

Fourth official Sam Allison was called upon to have a word with the Newport veteran – which guaranteed the heat from the stand notched up another few degrees.

It was inevitable that things would come to a head at some point.

Adams ventured into the home technical area after one full-blooded challenge too many on Paudie O’Connor – and then got booked after a contretemps over a Newport throw-in.

The City boss, with a deadpan masterclass, claimed he was just retrieving the match ball and returning it to the pitch. He would expect an apology from the referee in due course.

Adams also made the point that the London official Sam Purkiss had been in charge when his Morecambe side lost at Newport last season– a game which saw one of the contentious red cards that he had brought up after the play-off triumph.

“Everyone can read into that what they will,” he said mischievously.

But then the Bantams chief, summoning his finest Arsene Wenger, had not heard any of the stick coming his way.

That post-match response drew smirks all round and even the Newport media had to smother a giggle.

It was a perfectly-lobbed hand grenade from Adams. By dismissing the abuse as a complete non-event, he had answered the boo boys with two fingers.

It was also an example of strong man-management for his players, refusing to cower under the pressure.

That was something that his team managed to do to a degree to leave south Wales with a share of the spoils.

City were far from their best, particularly going forward where they grew more ineffective as the struggle went on.

But they held firm under increasing Newport duress, riding their luck on occasion but refusing to buckle to earn a second straight clean sheet.

That is not to be sniffed at considering how long it had taken them to get another one prior to the Rochdale win.

Newport, as Adams underlined, is no place for the faint-hearted. His example on the touchline was followed by a determined back four.

Yann Songo’o and O’Connor excelled at its heart – O’Connor producing the tackle of the game to thwart Courtney Baker-Richardson in full flow and Songo’o the afternoon’s best clearance to nod the striker’s second-half header off the line.

Songo’o has settled well playing back where his career under Adams began at Ross County. It will be an interesting selection conundrum when skipper Niall Canavan is fit again to resume.

Richard O’Donnell was generally well protected but also chipped in with a close-range block from James Clarke – and the Newport centre half was frustrated again by the woodwork from a few yards out. It looked harder to miss.

City needed the rearguard action after losing the midfield battle when Levi Sutton was redeployed as a stand-in right back.

Losing Oscar Threlkeld at half-time following a clash of heads with Ed Upson, who was also taken off, Adams had no Finn Cousin-Dawson to call upon because of his Northern Ireland under-21 travels.

Sutton had been by far the most energetic and go-forward member of City’s midfield up to that point.

Withdrawing him to a defensive role took away that bite and Newport’s tactical switch to put Matty Dolan back in there gave them the advantage.

Callum Cooke, Alex Gilliead and Elliot Watt had poor afternoons and Charles Vernam faded after a bright start. He was replaced by Gareth Evans to provide a bit more ballast for the closing stages.

Andy Cook, too, got little joy against the Newport defence; he was second best in the air and caught on his toes a couple of times when City threatened to break through.

He squandered the best chance when the visitors were on top with a weak side-foot that keeper Joe Day blocked with his legs. That would be as close as the Bantams came to only a second away goal in six hours of football.

Adams switched to 4-4-2 at the break and substitute Theo Robinson announced his arrival with a flick header past the far post.

But that promise soon waned and it turned into a battle for survival to avoid a fourth loss on the bounce on the road.

Newport rained crosses into the box as the noise intensified. City’s resolve creaked at moments but did not snap – a welcome change for those 400 or so travelling fans who had braved this latest in a line of long journeys.

Learning to draw ugly is something where their team have often fallen short.

“In the first half we’ve got to score,” added Adams. “We got ourselves into really good areas.

“There were a number of times we turned down the chance to shoot, which is not like us, and we didn’t find that final pass. If we had done that, we would have put a lot of pressure on them.

“But Newport are a difficult team to play against and this is a difficult venue to come to. We’ve got to show that respect to them.”

As tempers rose and the Welsh air threatened to turn even bluer against the "pantomime villain" on the City sidelines, Gilliead even had a late opportunity to snatch a smash-and-grab triumph but his swivelling effort was held by Day.

Just imagine the reaction in the stands if that had gone in! Not that Adams would have heard anything, obviously.