Dom Telford brace helps Newport to comfortable victory over Harrogate

Newport returned to winning ways in style with a comfortable 4-0 win over Harrogate in the behind-closed-doors clash at Rodney Parade.

Defender Mickey Demetriou opened the scoring with a penalty in the eighth minute after Dom Telford had been upended by Harrogate captain Josh Falkingham.

And, after Nick Townsend had denied George Thomson with a flying save at the other end, Telford took the game away from the visitors with goals either side of half-time to take his tally to 19 in 20 games so far this season.

The first was a clever flick in the 43rd minute and the second an assured finish into the bottom corner in the 49th, with Finn Azaz claiming the assist on both occasions.

Courtney Baker-Richardson completed the rout after rounding goalkeeper Mark Oxley and firing into the empty net in the 55th minute.

Newport, who were without manager James Rowberry due to a positive Covid-19 test, therefore had plenty of time to savour their first league win since beating Port Vale on December 11.