Unbeaten leaders Newport County made it three straight league wins as in-form striker Aaron O'Connor scored twice against Lincoln City at Rodney Parade.

O'Connor took his goal tally to five with shots on seven and 27 minutes to give Newport a 2-0 interval lead.

Six minutes after the break Newport were pegged back as Jamie Taylor headed home to halve the home lead.

But Newport held on and it is the first time for 28 months that Newport have won three games on the trot.

VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Newport County manager Justin Edinburgh told BBC Radio Wales:

"From where we were at the end of last season to where we are now I think the players, and everyone connected to this club, will go home with a smile on their face and enjoy their weekend because it's thoroughly deserved.

"Of course we want to continue and maintain the current run. I thought for a good period, certainly for the first half, we looked again very, very good and used possession of the ball very well and took our chances when they came along.

"Second half was made very difficult for us. We expected them to come at us and they certainly did that.

"We are learning as we go along and we can see we have got resilience. We can see we have got goals, and craft and guile. I'm absolutely delighted that we have had to hold on in the end for a well-deserved three points."

Lincoln City manager David Holdsworth told BBC Radio Lincolnshire:

"It sounds strange but we've said it twice now (in successive games), we've dominated affairs in the second half and were very unlucky not to come away with something because the spirit and the passion was there and when we got our goal I thought we'd go on and at least come away with a point.

"There's a lot of honesty in there and I think the supporters who came today saw that. As a manager all you can do is put together a side with what you've got and hopefully see that spirit and I think the boys are showing an immense amount of togetherness.

"We had stern words at half-time about defending and matching up and I felt we corrected that. Newport are a big side and they'll do well but I think we gave them a good run for their money in the second half."

Lineup, Bookings (3) & Substitutions (6)

Newport County

  • 40 Pidgeley
  • 02 Pipe
  • 05 James
  • 06 Yakubu
  • 13 Sandell
  • 04 Porter
  • 14 Thomson Booked
  • 16 Evans (Flynn - 56' )
  • 07 O'Connor (Charles - 76' )
  • 09 Crow
  • 10 Louis (Harris - 90' )

Substitutes

  • 22 Perry
  • 03 Hughes
  • 15 Harris
  • 17 Flynn
  • 11 Charles

Lincoln City

  • 01 Farman
  • 03 Nutter
  • 05 Boyce
  • 15 Gray Booked
  • 35 Daley (Nicolau - 82' )
  • 04 Mills Booked
  • 08 Power
  • 20 Miller
  • 07 Smith (Sheridan - 61' )
  • 09 Duffy (McCammon - 45' )
  • 10 Taylor

Substitutes

  • 27 Turner
  • 19 Hutchison
  • 12 Sheridan
  • 16 Nicolau
  • 37 McCammon
Ref: Swabey
Att: 3,024

Match Stats

Shots

7 5

On target

2 2

Corners

1 8

Fouls

12 14

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +5:12 Full time

Full Time The final whistle is blown by the referee.

90:00 +3:45

Free kick taken by Danny Crow.

90:00 +3:45 Booking

Booking Gary Mills receives a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.

90:00 +3:38

Gary Mills gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jake Harris.

90:00 +2:40

Paul Farman takes the indirect free kick.

90:00 +2:40 Substitution

Substitution Jake Harris on for Jefferson Louis.

90:00 +2:40

The offside flag is raised against Jake Thomson.

90:00 +2:12 Booking

Booking Jake Thomson is cautioned.

90:00 +1:12

Free kick awarded for a foul by Jefferson Louis on Tom Miller. Paul Farman takes the free kick.

90:00 +0:22

Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Alan Power.

89:44

Inswinging corner taken by Alan Power from the left by-line played to the near post, clearance by Lenny Pidgeley.

89:07

Jake Thomson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Gary Mills. Paul Farman takes the free kick.

87:47

Unfair challenge on Michael Flynn by Mark McCammon results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Tony James.

86:25

The offside flag is raised against Jefferson Louis. John Nutter takes the free kick.

84:34

The assistant referee signals for offside against Jefferson Louis. Paul Farman takes the free kick.

78:01

Unfair challenge on Jake Sheridan by Michael Flynn results in a free kick. Jamie Taylor produces a strike on goal direct from the free kick, blocked by Ismail Yakubu. Jamie Taylor takes a shot. Blocked by Ismail Yakubu. Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Alan Power, clearance made by Ismail Yakubu. Corner taken short by Alan Power. Alan Power takes the outswinging corner, clearance made by Ismail Yakubu. Ismail Yakubu fouled by Andrew Boyce, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Lenny Pidgeley.

81:54 Substitution

Substitution Luke Daley goes off and Nicky Nicolau comes on.

78:01

Michael Flynn challenges Jake Sheridan unfairly and gives away a free kick. Jamie Taylor produces a strike on goal direct from the free kick, Ismail Yakubu gets a block in. Jamie Taylor takes a shot. Ismail Yakubu gets a block in. Corner taken right-footed by Alan Power, clearance by Ismail Yakubu. Alan Power decides to take a short corner, outswinging corner taken by Alan Power, Ismail Yakubu makes a clearance. Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Ismail Yakubu by Andrew Boyce. Direct free kick taken by Lenny Pidgeley.

77:35

Free kick awarded for a foul by Jefferson Louis on Tom Miller. Paul Farman takes the direct free kick.

75:48 Substitution

Substitution Aaron O'Connor leaves the field to be replaced by Ryan Charles.

74:57

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Lenny Pidgeley by Mark McCammon. Lenny Pidgeley takes the free kick.

74:06

Luke Daley challenges Andy Sandell unfairly and gives away a free kick. Lenny Pidgeley restarts play with the free kick.

70:20

Shot by Jake Thomson from just outside the area goes over the net.

67:22

Andrew Boyce gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Danny Crow. Direct free kick taken by Jake Thomson.

65:49

Corner taken right-footed by Jake Thomson from the left by-line to the near post, clearance made by Alan Power.

65:05

Alan Power takes a inswinging corner to the near post, clearance by Jefferson Louis.

64:36

Corner taken by Alan Power from the left by-line played to the near post, David Pipe manages to make a clearance.

62:36

Tom Miller challenges Jefferson Louis unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Jake Thomson.

61:48

Max Porter gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Andrew Boyce. Free kick taken by Paul Farman.

60:54

Tom Miller challenges Jefferson Louis unfairly and gives away a free kick. Jake Thomson takes the free kick.

60:21 Substitution

Substitution Jake Sheridan comes on in place of Adam Smith.

59:54

Jamie Taylor produces a right-footed shot from deep inside the penalty area which goes wide of the right-hand post.

59:13

Short corner worked by Gary Mills.

55:36 Substitution

Substitution Michael Flynn is brought on as a substitute for Lee Evans.

53:54

The ball is delivered by Luke Daley, Tony James makes a clearance.

52:57

The offside flag is raised against Jamie Taylor. Free kick taken by Lenny Pidgeley.

52:03

Unfair challenge on Jake Thomson by Adam Smith results in a free kick. Jake Thomson takes the free kick.

51:18

Free kick awarded for a foul by Alan Power on Jake Thomson. Free kick taken by Tony James.

50:12

The assist for the goal came from Daniel Gray.

50:12 Goal scored

Goal - Jamie Taylor - Newport Co 2 - 1 Lincoln Jamie Taylor grabs a headed goal from close in. Newport County 2-1 Lincoln City.

50:12

Daniel Gray crosses the ball,

49:05

Free kick awarded for a foul by Danny Crow on Andrew Boyce. Paul Farman takes the free kick.

48:19

Jamie Taylor is penalised for a handball. Lenny Pidgeley takes the indirect free kick.

46:58

The ball is delivered by Luke Daley, Close range header by Andrew Boyce goes over the bar.

46:19

Foul by Max Porter on Jamie Taylor, free kick awarded. Gary Mills takes the direct free kick.

45:34

The official flags Max Porter offside. Paul Farman takes the indirect free kick.

45:01

The referee starts the second half.

45:00 +5:14 Half time

Half Time The half-time whistle blows.

45:00 +4:38

Shot on goal by Aaron O'Connor from just inside the area goes over the target.

44:40 Substitution

Substitution Rob Duffy goes off and Mark McCammon comes on.

44:00 +0:10

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Rob Duffy by Ismail Yakubu. Strike on goal comes in from Alan Power from the free kick.

39:51

The ball is sent over by Jefferson Louis.

37:51

The assistant referee signals for offside against Rob Duffy. Free kick taken by Lenny Pidgeley.

36:53

Max Porter takes a shot from inside the box clearing the bar.

34:04

The ball is delivered by Daniel Gray, clearance made by Ismail Yakubu.

31:20

The free kick is delivered right-footed by Jake Thomson from left wing.

31:20 Booking

Booking Booking for Daniel Gray for unsporting behaviour.

30:58

Daniel Gray concedes a free kick for a foul on Andy Sandell.

28:38

The assistant referee flags for offside against Rob Duffy. Lenny Pidgeley takes the indirect free kick.

26:43

Assist by Jake Thomson.

26:43 Goal scored

Goal - Aaron O'Connor - Newport Co 2 - 0 Lincoln Aaron O'Connor grabs a goal from inside the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Newport County 2-0 Lincoln City.

25:32

Free kick awarded for a foul by Alan Power on Danny Crow. Lenny Pidgeley takes the direct free kick.

22:25

Jake Thomson sends in a cross. The assistant referee signals for offside against Aaron O'Connor. Free kick taken by Paul Farman.

20:01

The referee blows for offside. Paul Farman takes the free kick.

18:54

Adam Smith fouled by Jefferson Louis, the ref awards a free kick. John Nutter restarts play with the free kick.

17:49

Effort from 35 yards by Lee Evans went wide of the right-hand post.

16:34

Rob Duffy challenges Ismail Yakubu unfairly and gives away a free kick. Lenny Pidgeley restarts play with the free kick.

16:07

The ball is swung over by Jake Thomson, save made by Paul Farman.

15:44

Jamie Taylor sends in a cross, save made by Lenny Pidgeley.

14:14

The official flags Jefferson Louis offside. Paul Farman takes the indirect free kick.

13:48

Adam Smith produces a cross.

12:16

The ball is swung over by Jefferson Louis.

10:49

Ismail Yakubu concedes a free kick for a foul on Rob Duffy. John Nutter takes the direct free kick.

10:09

The ball is crossed by Jake Thomson.

9:11

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Andrew Boyce by Jefferson Louis. Free kick taken by Paul Farman.

8:27

The ball is sent over by Adam Smith.

8:13

The ball is delivered by Luke Daley.

6:30

Assist on the goal came from Jefferson Louis.

6:30 Goal scored

Goal - Aaron O'Connor - Newport Co 1 - 0 Lincoln Aaron O'Connor gets on the score sheet with a goal from inside the box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Newport County 1-0 Lincoln City.

5:46

Effort from just outside the area by Jake Thomson goes over the bar.

4:48

Unfair challenge on John Nutter by Jefferson Louis results in a free kick. Paul Farman restarts play with the free kick.

4:10

Aaron O'Connor is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Free kick taken by Paul Farman.

1:05

Gary Mills gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jake Thomson. Lenny Pidgeley restarts play with the free kick.

0:00

The referee gets the game started.

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