Newport’s penultimate home game of the Wessex League Division 1 season saw high-flying Millbrook visit Tuesday evening (April 9).

The Islanders were hoping to get their revenge against the visitors, who had smashed five past them in the reverse fixture in last month.

Newport 3, Millbrook 2

The game started at a pace, which set the scene for the entire 90 minutes at Beatrice Avenue.

Early on, Millbrook found the opener after an attacker pounced on a poor Port pass in the defence.

Newport were not behind long, Harry Catania chased down what seemed a lost cause but managed to beat the Millbrook keeper to the ball and squeeze it home from the tightest angle. 

The match then became end to end, with both defences creaking but not being breached.

Millbrook looked as though they might have won a penalty late in the half, but it was waived away, while Port’s Michael Thompsett saw his effort tipped over the bar.

The second half continued where it left off until the 52nd minute when the visitors retook the lead from the penalty spot.

However, Port would not take a backward step, finding another equaliser through Jordan Browne, who sat the keeper down with a cool finish. 

Millbrook thought they had snatched a winner in the 89th, but somehow a goal-bound flick was tipped round the post by Leon Pitman in the Port net.

It proved a crucial moment, as in the fourth minute of injury time, Port winger Joe Butcher picked the ball up on the right, cut in and curled an unstoppable shot into the top corner to seal the game. 

Next up, Port travel to bottom side AFC Aldermaston on Saturday (April 13).