Newport Co 2 Harrogate Town 1 - Simon Weaver salutes his 10 men

The Sulphurites’ captain was shown a second yellow card – for simulation – late in the first half, leaving the visitors to battle on for almost an hour with just 10 men.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Harrogate drew level through Will Smith’s 44th-minute strike, going on to more than match the League Two leaders in the second period.

Having held out until the 88th minute, Harrogate’s resistance was broken, Brandon Cooper heading in what proved to be the winning goal from close range.

Weaver said he was left “dumbfounded” by a number of referee Paul Howard’s decisions, but played down the significance of the red card, insisting that his team actually played better after Falkingham’s dismissal.

“I thought the first offence wasn’t a bookable offence and the second was too far away for me to know whether there was simulation or not,” said the Harrogate chief. “It’s hard enough coming to top of the league and Newport, a well-oiled, very organised outfit, and then you’re without your talisman in midfield.

“There were decisions out there that dumbfounded us at times. I said at half-time ‘don’t let it affect you so much that you’re making it an excuse’. I thought we were superb when we went down to 10 men, before that they were the dominant team and we were hanging on in there at 1-0. We showed real character when we were outnumbered, we dug in and actually I thought we might sneak a win.”

Newport County: Townsend; Cooper, Bennett (Devitt 81), Demetriou; Shephard (Willmott 60), Sheehan, Labadie, Twine, Haynes; Amond, Abrahams (Proctor 60). Unused substitutes: King, Baker, Webb, Ellison.

Harrogate Town: Belshaw; Burrell, Smith, Hall, Jones; Thomson, Falkingham, Kerry, Kiernan (Kirby 41); Muldoon, Martin (Beck 85). Unused substitutes: Cracknell, Stead, Walker, Lokko.

Referee: P Howard (London).

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