Robins win final warm-up

Newtown completed their pre-season campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory at home to Hednesford Town the club’s website reports.

In a lively opening the hosts should really have been ahead in the fourth minute but a shot was dragged wide of the goal.

At the other end Mikey Nelson and Dan Cockerline both saw chances come and go while Callam Mendez-Jones had to react quickly to clear the ball off the Pitmen line in the 13^thminute.

In a niggly first half there was little to speak of until the final stages when the hosts opened the scoring five minutes before the break in somewhat controversial circumstances.

After winning a free kick a rolling ball was played forward to Nick Rushton, who made no mistake from 18 yards.

The start of the second half saw a number of set pieces dominating both penalty areas and Joe Fitzpatrick, in a centre-half role, had to react quickly to superbly stop Rushton when clean through in the 59^th minute.

Hednesford saw a good chance to equalise come and go in the 64^th minute when a corner picked out Cockerline but his header went inches wide at the far post.

Rushton had another chance snuffed out in the 73^rd minute before Cockerline watched a header land on the roof of the net six minutes later.

The result wrapped up the pre-season campaign that has seen just one defeat for the Robins.