Newport kicked off their league campaign with a trip to Poole to visit their friends at Hamworthy United. On another baking hot day, and after a long journey courtesy of the start of the holiday season, Newport were under the pump for much of the first half.

Missing a handful of players through injury and holidays, the team showed a few changes from last season. Sonny Myram and Dan Pearson were fresh faces on the bench, while Kudzhi Mazambara replaced Joe Hancott, who fell ill on the morning of the game.

For the opening half an hour, Hamworthy looked the more likely side. They hit the post twice and forced Leon Pitman into two brilliant saves. A further open-goal miss had the locals wondering whether those missed chances might prove costly.

Ten minutes before half-time, with Newport's first really meaningful attack, Joe Butcher opened his account for the season with a well-taken lob over the stranded keeper from the left edge of the box.

For 40 minutes, George Holbrook and Mikey Thompsett were outstanding at the heart of the Newport defence, with the large travelling support losing count of the number of vital blocks they made. However, Hamworthy got a deserved equaliser just before the break, a rasping shot from the left edge of the box beating Leon Pitman at his near post.

Level at the break, Newport were probably the happier of the two sides.

The second half started in much the same way, but this time the home side lacked the creativity to match their possession. A straight ball through the middle looked their most likely route to goal.

The game was decided in a crazy five-minute spell around the hour mark.

Newport won a corner on the right and Joe Butcher swung in a dangerous ball which was only half-punched clear by the home keeper. Brad Young headed the ball goalwards, only to see it cleared off the line, but master finisher Ji Nash was on hand to rifle the loose ball home and open his account for the season.

Unfortunately, Newport's second lead lasted even less time than the first. Straight from the kick-off, Hamworthy broke through and equalised with a cool side-footed finish.

In true Newport style, they didn't let the setback derail them. In a similar pattern to their visit last season, they came away with all three points thanks to a winner just three minutes after Hamworthy's second equaliser.

In almost a carbon copy of Newport's second goal, another quality inswinging corner from Joe Butcher was again poorly dealt with. This time Brad Young made sure his header back into the box had enough power to find the back of the net.

For the remaining 25 minutes Newport were fairly comfortable, with Man of the Match George Holbrook marshalling the back line superbly.

Mention must also go to the performances of Jordan Browne, Joe Butcher and Brad Young, with the senior players helping guide the younger members of the side through the tense closing stages.

With a couple of minutes left, Hamworthy thought they had found a third equaliser, but somehow Leon Pitman clawed the ball away with a truly superb save.

The final whistle followed a couple of minutes later and all 15 Port players celebrated a brilliant away win before heading over to thank the travelling support.

A very good opening day for the club. Just the 39 league games to go!