FOREST GREEN 2

NEWPORT COUNTY 0

ON a night when Wolves winger Will Randall became Forest Green’s latest transfer window capture, Mark Cooper’s side found form to take three points in their opening Checkatrade Trophy group match.

Sumptuous strikes from Dan Wishart and a first-ever goal for Rovers' Luke James, saw Rovers pocket the £10,000 prize money.

Looking for a reaction from a wretched 5-1 mauling at Colchester United, boss Cooper resisted wholesale changes and made just three.

Chelsea loanee keeper Brad Collins dropped to the bench in place of Sam Russell. Drissa Traore started the cup tie in the midfield engine room and Dan Whishart came in on the right-side of midfield. Reece Brown came out of the team to take a seat in the dugout and Lee Collins missed out altogether.

Newport included former Forest Green captain David Pipe in a team, which numbered Rovers’ old boys James Bittner and Sean Rigg.

Newport have started the League Two season in rude health and boss Mike Flynn opted to make eight alterations.

Rovers found their cup feet quickly. Captain Liam Noble missed a gilt-edged opportunity to nose his side ahead inside seven minutes, but got his angles wrong with just Bittner to beat after a slip from County defender Ben White.

Rovers possession-based football had County on the back-foot - Bittner doing well to claw a deceiving 25 yard ball over the bar from a sumptuous Scott Laird fizzer.

Cooper switched Wishart to the left and his tactical move brought an early reward.

Rovers nosed ahead on 21 minutes through a stinging strike from Wishart, who stepped on the gas from a clever Charlie Cooper dummy to thump  beyond an exposed Bittner.

Confidence restored, Rovers upped the ante – Newport –born Doidge planting a header over from a perfect Laird delivery.

Rovers hunted a second. Wishart was a whisker away with a driving run and strike across the box after Robbie Willmott had his pocket picked. Willmott’s frustration mounted as he saw yellow for a trip on Cooper and Laird plantedthe free-kick over the wall and into the arms of Bittner.

Russell did well to claw a sighter from Dan Butler as Newport hunted parity

The excellent Traroe was replaced by giant Manny Monthe with 22 minutes left.

Newport cranked it up – Calaum Martin demanding a stunning bit of glovework from Russell and then seconds later mayhem in Rovers’ box saw Doidge clear off the line from Joe Quigley

Shamir Mulllings entered the fray and quickly made his robust presence felt – feeding Luke James who brought a plunging save from Bittner.

Minutes later it was the diminutive James who made it 2-0 with six minutes left. Bittner had parried Noble’s stinger after the midfielder had stolen the ball from Jazzi Barnum-Bobb, and it was left to James to finish with aplomb from the edge of the box.

Monthe tried to add some late gloss as his buccaneering run ended with Bittner falling on his straight shot and at the death Bittner did well to deny the busy Mullings.

Forest Green: Russell 8; Bennett 9, Iacovitti 7, Roberts 7, Laird 8; Traore 7 (Monthe 6, 67), Cooper 7 (Brown 6,71), Noble 7, Wishart 6, James 7; Doidge 6 (Mullings 7, 71).

Subs not used: B Collins, Simpson, Evans, Stevens.

Newport County: Bittner; Butler, White, Bennett, Pipe (Barnum-Bobb, 46); Tozer (Amond, 71); Jahraldo-Martin, Owen-Evans, Rigg, Willmott (Cole, 46); Quigley.

Subs not used: Day, Foulston, Dolan, Nouble.

Booked: Willmott, Owen-Evans.

Referee: Brett Huxtable.

Attendance: 1,090 (239 County)

Star Man: Dale Bennett.