FA Vase first round
Newport (IOW) 0, Bridgwater Town 2

A goal at the start of each half was enough to give Bridgwater Town a place in the second round of the FA Vase, as they came away from the Isle of Wight with a 2-0 victory over Newport on Saturday.

It was a solid performance from the Robins, who played for an hour against 10 men after the hosts had striker Charlie Urry sent off following a clash with Harry Horton in front of referee Keiran Forrest.

Already the away side were a goal up, after Horton’s fourth-minute free-kick was nodded home at the far post by Jake Brown – Bridgwater making a fast start despite their near six-hour journey to the island.

Joe Craig tested Robins goalkeeper Jake Viney midway through the first half, but that was Newport’s only shot on target until the final few minutes, by which time the tie was all but dead.

The home side settled into the game after the early goal, but once Urry went they were up against it.

After the break Connor Kelly and Craig had efforts off target but again the hosts shot themselves in the foot when a poor back header let in Steve Murray and he fed Brown, who was bundled over in the box.

Jake Llewellyn slotted in the 56th-minute penalty to calm any existing nerves for the visitors.

Substitute Jack Taylor was denied by a fine save from Gary Streeter late on, but his cameo ended with a red card four minutes from time.

Initially sin-binned, he continued to argue and was shown a red card instead – but his side saw out the rest of the game comfortably enough.

Bridgwater Town: Jake Viney, Mark Armstrong, Jake Llewellyn, Tom Ellis, Ross McErlain, Mike Duffy, Harry Horton, Sam Towler, Dave O’Hare (Dave Thorne 66), Steve Murray (Fin Wilkinson 72), Jake Brown (Jack Taylor 56). Subs not used: Dave Pearse, Steve Laker.

Bridgwater are back in league action this coming Saturday, at home to Bitton at Fairfax Park (ko 3pm).