Newport County 0-3 Bristol Rovers
Second half goals Ellis Harrison, Ryan Broom and Jamie Lucas gave Rovers victory in this Final Third Development Cup tie at Newport.Playing with a strong wind at their backs in the first half, Rovers enjoyed a great deal of possession but were unable to pierce Newport's back line.
Broom and Harrison fired over the bar in the opening exchanges and Harrison saw home keeper Joe Green make a comfortable save from another effort. Gosling also forced a save from the keeper who then touched a powerful shot from Cristian Montano on to the bar.
The home side fashioned two chances in the final five minutes of the half but on each occasion Will Puddy denied striker Zak Ansah with fine saves.
The goalkeeper, playing in his first game of the season, made another fine save, from Jake Young at the start of the second half and also held on to a shot from Aaron Collins before his side took a 53rd minute lead.
A scuffle in the Newport area saw Rovers awarded a penalty after a challenge on Harrison and the young striker easily beat Green with the resulting spot kick.
Puddy again saved well from Collins before Rovers doubled their lead with 66 minutes on the clock. Harrison was involved in the build up and his attempted lobbed shot seemed to hang in the air, deceiving Green who could only help the ball on to the far post where Broom was on hand to touch the ball over the line from close range.
Six minutes later the unfortunate Green was again at fault as Rovers scored again, this time from a 25 yard shot from Lucas which the shot stopper could only help into the net.
Kieran Preston, on as a substitute for Puddy, made one fine save in the short time he was on the pitch but Rovers ended with a flurry as Harrison and Montano both went close to adding further goals.
Rovers: Puddy (Preston, 73), Lyttle, Fry, Greenslade, Confrey, Broom, Montano, Malpas (Green, 73), Harrison, Lucas, Gosling
Substitutes: Mehew, Corp, Iles