2013 Conference Premier play-off final
Newport County lift the Conference Premier play-off winners' trophy
Event2012–13 Football Conference
Wrexham Newport County
0 2
Date5 May 2013
VenueWembley Stadium, London
Man of the MatchChristian Jolley (Newport County)
RefereeMichael Bull
Attendance16,346

The 2013 Conference Premier play-off final, known as the 2013 Blue Square Bet Premier play-off final for sponsorship purposes, was a football match between Wrexham and Newport County on 5 May 2013 at Wembley Stadium in London. It was the eleventh Conference Premier play-off final and the first ever Wembley Final to feature two teams from Wales.

After not having played in Wembley for 149 years the match represented the second time in the 2012–13 season for Wrexham who reached the final with a 5–2 aggregate win over Kidderminster Harriers following their appearance in the 2013 FA Trophy Final. The final also represented Newport County's second trip to Wembley in less than a year having played in the 2012 FA Trophy Final. Newport had beaten Grimsby Town 2–0 over two legs to reach the play-off final.

Newport County won the match 2–0 to secure promotion to League Two, re-entering the Football League after a 25-year absence.[1] It was the first time in Conference history that a team had not conceded a single goal in the play-offs.[2]

Whereas the players in the Wrexham team were new to the play-off final, the County team had seven players with previous play-off final experience: Alan Julian had featured for Stevenage Borough in the 2005 final. It was the second successive final for Aaron O'Connor who had featured for Luton Town in the 2012 final. Danny Crow had featured in both the 2009 final for Cambridge United and the 2011 final for Luton Town. It was the fourth final for Robbie Willmott who had featured for Cambridge United in 2009 and Luton Town in the 2011 and 2012 finals. Winning the final for a second time were Ismail Yakubu, Lee Minshull and Christian Jolley who were all part of the victorious Wimbledon team in the 2011 final.

Match

Summary

Both teams started the game nervously with Wrexham having the better of the opening exchanges. On 15 minutes Brett Ormerod saw an effort at goal dragged wide of the near post. A cross from Johnny Hunt in the 21st minute was met by Ormerod but his shot went over the bar. Towards the end of the first half Newport gained momentum with Christian Jolley's curled shot just wide of goal. The score remained 0–0 at half time.

In the second half Wrexham stepped up their game and nearly took the lead in the 59th minute when an initial shot from Andy Morrell was palmed by Lenny Pidgeley into the path of Ormerod who blasted over from six yards. Shortly afterwards Newport's Danny Crow was replaced with their leading goalscorer Aaron O'Connor. Wrexham's player-manager Morrell then replaced himself with Adrian Cieslewicz. As the game wore on both teams made further substitutions with Newport's Michael Flynn making way for Scott Donnelly in the 74th minute and Wrexham's Glen Little coming on for captain Dean Keates in the 80th minute.

As the game looked certain to go into extra time Jolley headed a warning shot just wide of goal in the 83rd minute. Wrexham failed to heed the warning and in the 86th minute a long up-field pass from Andy Sandell was headed backwards by Wrexham's David Artell into the path of Jolley who made no mistake in lifting it over the on-rushing Chris Maxwell and into the goal.

Wrexham replaced Jay Harris with Dele Adebola in the 89th minute and pushed every player up front, including goalkeeper Maxwell. They managed to force a number of corners in injury time but were caught on the break by Jolley who fed O'Connor. His initial left-footed shot was saved but he made no mistake with his right-footed follow-up to make the score 2–0 to County in the 4th minute of injury time. Two minutes later and the game was over.

Details

Wrexham0–2Newport County
Report
Report
Report
Report
Report
Report		 Jolley 86'
O'Connor 90+4'
Attendance: 16,346
Referee: Michael Bull
Wrexham
Newport County
GK24Chris Maxwell
RB2Stephen Wright
CB32David Artell
CB6Martin Riley
LB3Neil Ashton
RM8Jay Harrisdownward-facing red arrow 89'
CM12Dean Keates (C)downward-facing red arrow 80'
CM14Joe Clarke
LM16Johnny Hunt
CF10Brett OrmerodYellow card 64'
CF11Andy Morrelldownward-facing red arrow 69'
Substitutes:
GK13Andy Coughlin
DF23Chris Westwood
MF17Glen Littleupward-facing green arrow 80'
FW7Adrian Cieslewiczupward-facing green arrow 69'
FW31Dele Adebolaupward-facing green arrow 89'
Manager:
Andy Morrell
GK40Lenny Pidgeley
CB5Tony James
CB6Ismail Yakubu
CB21Byron Anthony
RM2David Pipe (C)
CM8Lee Minshull
CM30Alex GilbeyYellow card 79'
CM17Michael Flynndownward-facing red arrow 74'
LM13Andy Sandell
CF23Christian Jolley
CF9Danny Crowdownward-facing red arrow 63'
Substitutes:
GK1Alan Julian
DF3Andrew Hughes
MF26Scott Donnellyupward-facing green arrow 74'
FW7Aaron O'Connorupward-facing green arrow 63'
FW24Robbie Willmott
Manager:
Justin Edinburgh

Match rules:

  • 90 minutes.
  • 30 minutes of extra time if necessary.
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level.
  • Five named substitutes
  • Maximum of three substitutions.

References

  1. ↑ "Wrexham 0–2 Newport". BBC Sport. 5 May 2013.
  2. ↑ "Newport County victory over Wrexham puts them back into Football League". The Guardian. London. 5 May 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
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