The 2020-21 season was a season like no other with the on going covid-19 pandemic calling the previous season to a halt and a disappointing follow up season to the play off final defeat of 2019 left fans with little hope for the campaign ahead. Over the summer county made 11 new signings including Wales u21 centre back Brandon cooper, Scott Twine and 41 year old county nemesis Kevin Ellison on a free from Morecambe left county ready to enter the battle of the 46 game sky bet league 2 season.
County started the season with an impressive 2-0 win over Swansea city in the league cup via a Tristan Abrahams brace, in which I believe is the greatest of all our cup upsets over the past few years. County began they're 2020-2021 league campaign with a 1-1 draw away to Scunthorpe. As the month went on county's impressive cup run did too with wins against Cambridge United and championship promotion hopefuls Watford led to a last 16 game against Premier league outfit Newcastle united at Rodney parade in which county held on to the lead until a worldy of a goal from Jonjo Shelvey took the game to penalties in which county lost 5-4.
Under Flynn Newport have been strong starters in the league and this season was no different with 1 defeat in 10 left County top of the league for the 1st time in 40 years. A lot of this success was down to Swindon town loanee Scott twine who was involved in 3 goals and 3 assists in this time. This left Twine as a fans favorite at Rodney parade. At the start of November Newport got they're Fa cup campaign underway with a 2-1 win away to Leyton Orient. Also in November, 2019-20 losing papa John trophy semi finalists Newport county exited the competition with a whimper by not even picking up a point in their group.
County moved into the 3nd round of the Fa cup with a dominant 3-0 win over league rivals Salford city in the 2nd round of the fa cup. 2 defeats in 9 left County top on Christmas day by a couple of points. 10 of the last 12 teams top at Christmas have gone on to get promoted and the other 2 managed to get into the play offs.
In January 7 loan players got recalled including key players Scott Twine and Brandon Cooper which lead to a mini squad overhaul in January. In football new players take time to gel and we certainly seen this in both league and cup as due to circumstances not in our control our first game of 2021 seen us come up against premier league Brighton and Hove Albion in the 3rd round of the Fa cup. Just like the Newcastle game in the league cup seen county lose on penalties. In the league the outstanding form which seen county go to the league couldn't continue as 1 win in 8 dropped us from top of the league to just about in the play offs in 7th.
Since then county's form went too inconsistent with 5 wins, 4 draws and 5 defeats in 14 games. County were still in the hunt for a play off spot as they sat 7th. They had a pretty strong run in as we went unbeaten in our last 5 games of the season keeping clean sheets in all 5 seeing us finish 5th and the play offs. In the play offs we met Forest Green Rovers who county don't have the best of records against with Forest Green winning 2 out of the last 4 meetings with county winning 1 and 1 draw. However thanks to Matty Dolan and Lewis Collins seen county take a 2 goal lead up to the New Lawn. County's good work down at Rodney Parade was undone in the first 8 minutes. After half time a goal frenzy took place with 3 goals in 15 mins seen county at the time progress into the league 2 play off final until former County hero Jamille Matt take the tie into extra time. In which Nicky Maynard score with one of the last kicks of the game. At wembley County took on Morecambe who were looking to go to league 1 for the first time in their history. After 2 poor referreeing decisions Carlos Mendes Gomes broke county hearts as Morecambe won 1-0 to take the last place in league 1.
We are back for good now as we look to grow bigger and better for the upcoming season so watch this space. Let us know what you think down below in the comments. Also don't forget to drop us a follow on twitter @absoultelycounty and Instagram @absoultely_county
