'BATTLERS' EARN POINT

Report by Trina Lake 

NEWPORT COUNTY 1 
Gibbins 
EXETER CITY 1 
Olsson 

Half-time 1-1

Played at Somerton Park, Newport.
Friday January 1st 1988.

PAUL OLSSON scored his first goal in the Football League to earn Exeter City a New Year's Day draw at Newport County and then predic- ted that 1988 would see an improvement in the /club's flagging fortunes.

"We've turned the corner now. We've picked up a point and that's better than none," said the 22-year-old midfield player who voiced the team's support for care- taker manager John Delve.

The point at Newport was City's second in five games under Delve and Olsson said: "We respect John and we would like to do well for him." He rightly described yesterday's match at Somerton Park as a battle "It was alwyas going to be difficult because they are scrapping for points too. In the end I think it was a fair result and we're happy with a point," he admitted.

Olsson, restored to City's starting line-up for the first time since mid October, opened his league account with a half volley in the 22nd minute. But Newport's experienced striker Roger Gibbins grabbed an invaluable share of the spoils for the Welsh club who are still marooned at the foot of the table.

Gibbins equalised with a fine diving header at the near post in the 33rd minute but his side stay 10 points adrift of Rochdale. City had chances to win the game in the second half and complete the double over Newport, but their finishing let them down. As result they slip 20th in the table, their lowest position since being forced to seek re-election for finishing 21st at the end of the 1985-86 campaign. Delve switched back to a 4-4-2 formation with Roy Carter in defence and Olsson get- ting stuck in alongside Richard Cooper in midfield. Dean Edwards was dropped for the first time since joining the club from Wolves in March and Tony Kellow and Brendon O'Connell teamed up in attack.

Kellow looked far more effective than he did at Wolves on Monday, holding the ball up intelligently whenever possible and producing some neats flicks to set up half chances for O'Connell and his midfield men. City played Newport at their own game by adopting the offside tactic, pushing out from the back quickly to keep the linesmen on their toes. The conditions a muddy pitch, lashed throughout by heavy rain-didn't help. City's attempt to make a bet- ter fist of springing the trap than they did in the Freight Rover Trophy at St James's Park in November. Players found it difficult to control the slippery ball well and judge the weight of passes accurately. But they did look to get midfielders coming through from deep and keep the Newport defence back-pedalling by lofting the ball over the top. Young goalkeeper Andy Dillon repeatedly had to dash from his penalty area to hack the ball away from onrushing City players. His slip in handling outside his box presented the first serious threat to either goal with a full 20 minutes gone in a match that generally lacked excitement. Eamonn Collins curled the free kick wide. City were soon in front how- ever as O'Connell's persistence was rewarded. He slid down. the right touchline to keep the ball in play for Batty who tur- ned defender Paul Williams before shooting at Dillon. The ball rebounded for Olsson who steamed in to hit a first time shot into the back of the net from 18 yards. Kellow should have made it 2-0 in the 31st minute when O'Connell and Batty combined to punish a defensive mistake by Richard Jones but the veteran marksman glanced a header wide from close range. Within two minutes City discovered just how costly that miss was to be. Newport were awarded a dubious free kick five yards from the right edge of City's penalty area and while the defence were sorting themselves out, Wally Downes curled the ball into the near post and Gibbins met it perfectly to steer a low header in off the post. In the second half the game developed into a dour struggle in the mire with few goal- mouth incidents. City's brightest openings fell to Eamonn Collins who again struggled to make much impact. He wasted one good chance with a poor shot in the 54th minute and drew a fine save out of Dillon in the 58th. Newport looked most dangerous from set pieces involving loan signing Downes, the Wimbledon dead ball specialist. His involvement in the rest of the match was pretty limted he was certainly the cleanest player to leave the field after 90 minutes - but his accuracy from free kicks and corners had City scrambling from time to time.

Attendance 1,691.

Newport County:- Dillon; Hudson, Clement; Thackeray, Williams, Downes; Jones, Gibbins, Brook, Mann, Sherlock.

Exeter City:- Shaw; Harrower, Viney; Carter, Taylor, Olsson; Batty, Cooper, Kellow, O'Connell, Collins.

Summary 

Olsson gave Exeter the lead after 22 minutes and nearly got another goal two minutes later when Batty's shot was luckily blocked by Dillon on the goal-line. Both Gibbins and Kellow at opposite ends missed open goals before Newport equalised with a header by Gibbins in the 33rd minute. Shaw was in continuous action in the second half but he and his defence stood firm.