![Wrexham break 120-year record in Newport win (1) Wrexham break 120-year record in Newport win (1)](https://i0.wp.com/ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/624/cpsprodpb/6363/production/_132134452_shutterstock_editorial_14270301u.jpg)
Wrexham broke a 120-year record as they defeated Welsh rivals Newport County 2-0 at the Racecourse.
County created the better openings in the first half but fell behind to James Jones' 64th-minute strike after the Dragons improved.
Elliot Lee netted in the final stages as Wrexham scored for the 49th home league game running, their best run since 1903.
Wrexham stay third in League Two while Newport are 17th.
Arsenal loanee Arthur Okonkwo returned from a jaw injury to start for the hosts, while Jones replaced the suspended George Evans to make his 100th league appearance for the club.
But Parkinson had to reshuffle his pack moments before kick-off after Eoghan O'Connell sustained an injury during the warm-up - with Max Cleworth stepping up from the bench for his maiden league start.
As for Graham Coughlan, he made two changes from the side that started Newport's 1-1 draw with Grimsby Town last weekend as Harry Charsley and top scorer Will Evans replaced Lewis Payne and Matt Baker.
Wrexham sought to get on the front foot with just 14 seconds on the clock as Paul Mullin lifted the ball into the path of James McClean who lashed over - although the offside flag had already been raised.
But that lively opening was hardly a sign of things to come, with strong winds doing little to help either side play an attractive brand of football.
In what was a disjointed display, it swiftly became apparent how grateful Wrexham were to have goalkeeper Okonkwo back in their side.
The 22-year-old denied Evans from an acute angle after the Welshman had been played through on goal by the menacing Omar Bogle.
Okonkwo then made an even better stop to tip Seb Palmer-Houlden's goal-bound header from a Ryan Delaney cross on to the bar.
Newport captain Delaney then went close to scoring himself, although he was unable to flick Charsley's driven effort on target.
Even when the home side did get into promising positions, they were unable to trouble Exiles keeper Nick Townsend who was only too happy to see Andy Cannon blaze over in the latter stages of the first half.
Despite being below par, Wrexham will have taken comfort from the fact that they would be shooting towards the temporary Kop stand, housing fans for the first time in 16 years, with the wind behind them in the second half.
A Ben Tozer long throw-in six minutes after the restart caused mayhem in the Newport box, but Townsend was alert to pluck Cannon's header from the air.
Wrexham were certainly improving though, and Newport were hugely fortunate not to fall behind on 58 minutes as Lee's thumping shot struck the post before hitting Townsend's back and bouncing behind to safety.
Only a minute later, Sam Salby spun his marker before drilling just wide as, for the first time in the contest, Newport looked edgy.
Parkinson must have felt it would only be a matter of time before his side's drastic improvement reaped rewards.
He may well have feared it would not be Wrexham's day when striker Mullin was unable to stretch to prod Dalby's flashed effort into the net from a yard out.
But just two minutes later, Wrexham took the lead.
Newport were once again unable to clear from a Tozer long throw-in, and Jones rifled beyond Townsend from near the penalty spot to send the majority of the 12,095 supporters in attendance into raptures.
It means the Dragons have scored in 49 successive home league matches, breaking a sequence that had stood for 120 years.
Newport pushed in the final stages as Wrexham were happy to take the sting out of proceedings.
But they failed to trouble Okonkwo and, after substitute Steven Fletcher fired straight at Townsend, the home side made the victory safe.
Tozer delivered yet another long throw into the Newport box, and Lee headed home his 13th goal of the season to ensure Wrexham have netted at least twice in each of their 12 home league outings this term.
McClean nearly made it 3-0, stinging the palms of Townsend in the final minute, but the damage had long been done as Wrexham secured a sixth win in a row at home in the Football League for the first time since December 1995.
Defeat means Newport are winless in three league games.
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson:
"It was important that we were ready to scrap, and I felt we did that very well.
"All in all I thought the lads stuck to the job in hand today and got a really important three points for us.
"We just said at half-time, 'we've got to keep growing'."
Newport County manager Graham Coughlan:
"I thought both teams had good moments in the game.
"They scored from two long throws. We had opportunities and the first goal was always going to be big in this fixture.
"We had one or two sloppy moments and that's probably what's cost us. It's disappointing when it comes down to two set-pieces."
- Line-ups
- Match Stats
- Live Text
Line-ups
Wrexham
Formation 5-3-2
33Okonkwo
19Mendy32Cleworth4Tozer22O'Connor23McClean
30Jones20Cannon38Lee
18Dalby10Mullin
- 33Okonkwo
- 19Mendy
- 32Cleworth
- 4Tozer
- 22O'Connor
- 23McClean
- 30Jones
- 20CannonSubstituted forYoungat 88'minutes
- 38LeeSubstituted forDaviesat 90+2'minutes
- 18DalbySubstituted forFletcherat 73'minutes
- 10MullinSubstituted forBickerstaffat 90+2'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Davies
- 8Young
- 14Forde
- 21Howard
- 25Boyle
- 26Fletcher
- 27Bickerstaff
Newport
Formation 3-4-1-2
1Townsend
5J Clarke17Bennett4Delaney
19McLoughlin8Morris24Wildig7Evans
20Charsley
9Bogle30Palmer-Houlden
- 1Townsend
- 5J Clarke
- 17Bennett
- 4Delaney
- 19McLoughlin
- 8Morris
- 24WildigBooked at 9mins
- 7Evans
- 20CharsleySubstituted forBakerat 64'minutes
- 9Bogle
- 30Palmer-HouldenSubstituted forPayneat 80'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Payne
- 11Waite
- 18Rai
- 22Wood
- 26Maxted
- 28Baker
- 33Bondswell
- Referee:
- John Busby
- Attendance:
- 12,095
Match Stats
Home TeamWrexhamAway TeamNewport
- Possession
- Home56%
- Away44%
- Shots
- Home16
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away2
- Corners
- Home7
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Match ends, Wrexham 2, Newport County 0.
Full Time
Second Half ends, Wrexham 2, Newport County 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. Steven Fletcher (Wrexham) left footed shot from more than 35 yards is high and wide to the left.
Post update
Corner, Wrexham. Conceded by Scot Bennett.
Substitution
Substitution, Wrexham. Jordan Davies replaces Elliot Lee.
Substitution
Substitution, Wrexham. Jake Bickerstaff replaces Paul Mullin.
Post update
Corner, Wrexham. Conceded by Nick Townsend.
Post update
Attempt saved. Paul Mullin (Wrexham) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ben Tozer.
Post update
Corner, Wrexham. Conceded by Lewis Payne.
Substitution
Substitution, Wrexham. Luke Young replaces Andrew Cannon.
Goal!
Goal! Wrexham 2, Newport County 0. Elliot Lee (Wrexham) header from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ben Tozer.
Post update
Corner, Wrexham. Conceded by Lewis Payne.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Andrew Cannon (Wrexham) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Steven Fletcher.
Substitution
Substitution, Newport County. Lewis Payne replaces Seb Palmer-Houlden.
Post update
Attempt saved. Steven Fletcher (Wrexham) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Paul Mullin.
Substitution
Substitution, Wrexham. Steven Fletcher replaces Sam Dalby.
Post update
Foul by Sam Dalby (Wrexham).
Post update
James Clarke (Newport County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Max Cleworth (Wrexham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Will Evans (Newport County).
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