Shrewsbury Town 0 : 0 Newport County - Exiles goalkeeper saves the Day

Posted Sunday, September 21, 2014 by PA

A fine display from goalkeeper Joe Day ensured Newport stood firm to become the first team to collect an away point at Shrewsbury this season from a 0-0 draw.

Newport, now unbeaten in six games, started brightly and almost forged a third-minute lead when Robbie Willmott's powerful 25-yard effort was superbly flicked over the bar by goalkeeper Jayson Leutwiler.

Shrewsbury took time to settle but then started to cause Newport problems and were close to breaking the deadlock when a clever pass from Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro picked out Andy Mangan who flicked his shot over keeper Day but narrowly missed the target.

The same two Shrewsbury players then combined again as the home side went ever closer with Akpa Akpro's far post header from Mangan's cross instinctively kept out by Day.

Shrewsbury continued to push for a breakthrough after the restart with impressive right back Jermaine Grandison twice going close, curling a shot just over after earlier being denied by a scrambling save from Day.

Newport were reduced to 10 men for the last six minutes with defender Andrew Hughes sent off for a late lunge at James Wesolowski.

Shrewsbury then poured forward relentlessly in the closing stages but Day pulled off two more excellent saves from substitutes Ashley Vincent and James Collins to give Newport a hard-earned point from their second goalless stalemate of the week on the road.