Courtney Baker-Richardson goal enough for Newport to see off Scunthorpe

Newport kept their League Two play-off push firmly on track with a 1-0 victory at struggling Scunthorpe.

Courtney Baker-Richardson bagged the all-important goal early in the second period, though the Welsh club would have won by a much greater margin without the first-half heroics of Iron goalkeeper Rory Watson.

He clawed away a curling effort from Jake Cain that looked destined for the top corner, before later producing an even better stop to deny Dom Telford from point-blank range.

When Watson was beaten the woodwork proved Scunthorpe’s saviour, with visiting skipper Mickey Demetriou heading against the crossbar from a corner and then firing a 36th-minute penalty against the outside of a post.

Having survived an onslaught during the opening 45 minutes, the hosts improved after the break.

But it was no surprise when County broke the deadlock in the 56th minute as Baker-Richardson headed home his eighth goal of the season from Oliver Cooper’s inviting free-kick.

Scunthorpe were given a route back into the game when wing-back Luke Matheson was wrestled to the floor inside the box, but substitute Myles Hippolyte’s 71st-minute penalty was saved by Nick Townsend.

From then on, a Newport victory never looked in doubt, and only Watson’s near-post stop from Ryan Haynes’ low drive prevented them from adding a second.