NEWPORT COUNTY 1-0 COVENTRY CITY
Newport: Pidgeley, Jackson (Wilmott 66), Feely, Yakubu, Minshull, Zebroski (Parker 85) Sandell, Jeffers (O'Connor 71), Klukowska (Howe 46), Jolley (Chapman 46) Byrne. Subs: Thomas, Hughes, Flynn, Palfren, Anthony.
City: Allsopp, Clarke, Webster, Johnson, Willis, Pugh, C.Thomas, Swanson, Daniels, Miller, Tudgay
Second Half: Allsopp, (Burge 61) Fleck, Seaborne, Haynes, Phillips, Lawton, Thomas, Maddison, Daniels (Barton 61), Swanson (O'Brien 61). Finch
HT NCAFC 1-0 CCFC FT NCAFC 1-0 CCFC ATT 828
Goals Ismail Yakubu 20
----------------------------------------------
Coventry City went down to a 1-0 defeat at Newport County.
Having signed Marcus Tudgay, Steven Pressley took a side down to Newport County for the first of four pre-season games this week.
On a ground where City won on in 1998, the City boss gave a debut to Reda Johnson who was quickly defending when former Sky Blue Shaun Jeffers fired over in the opening seconds.
Another new City player in Shaun Miller fired over before the home side won a fourth minute corner in front of the forty or so City supporters who had made it to Spytty Park including some from South Wales in the Main Stand or stood on the terrace behind the dug-out.
In the 13th minute, Sendell fired at Allsopp but City went up the other end of this athletics stadium and won a corner which the diving Reda Johnson missed.
Another corner for City followed but was easily dealt with and Newport, in red shirts and white shorts, were able to win a free kick, which was fell to Jeffers. His shot was blocked and went out to the winger Jolley who crossed for Ismail Yakubu to head home from six yards.
City, in their yellow away kit, won a 24th minute corner that the home keeper flapped at in the bright sunshine which was beaming over the main stand.
Eight minutes later and a defensive slice gave City a corner. Andy Webster came in with a header but it went wide of the former Millwall keeper's right hand post.
Billy Daniels worked hard in midfield along with Swanson for a City side which conceded a 42nd minute corner and one that led to a cracking tip over by Allsopp and then two more corners.
With the danger finally cleared, Miller made a great run only to be stopped by a last ditch tackle which led to a corner.
Pressley made wholesale changes at the break with only Billy Daniels, Ryan Allsopp and Danny Swanson staying on.
The second half was a couple of minutes old when Danny Seaborne squared up to substitute Rene Howe who had shoved him into a metal tank which housed crash mats.
The game continued with Newport on the attack and in the 52nd minute, The Exiles had a corner headed over.
Phillips fired at Pidgeley but Newport countered with Howe curling wide.
In the 54th minute, Ivor Lawton was not far away with a shot after a good run and two minutes later, George Thomas got through but screwed his shot wide.
Pressley threw on Adam Barton, Jim O'Brien and Lee Burge in goal for the last twenty nine minutes which saw a 68th minute corner for Newport.
In the 71st minute, Shaun Jeffers got a good ovation when he was replaced and a handshake from Steven Pressley, who watched his side concede a corner before Barton curled wide.
Barton forced Pidgeley to dive to his right to push away for a corner with fourteen minutes left.
Minshull fired wide before Fleck joined him in the book after the Scot threw the ball following a free kick.
Minshull was involved again heading wide from a free kick and hitting the post in the 87th minute as a poor City side, which faces Watford on Wednesday night at Boreham Wood, who went down to defeat.