Day 54

Kanouté got called up for international duty with the Mali Under 20s. He'll be unavailable for our match on September 3rd (it's 27 August today). I don't know whether this will have any real impact on us, since we've got two matches before then (one today and another midweek).

After yesterday's uncertainty, selecting a side proved surprisingly easy. I moved Shuker back out to the right wing, with Koroma stepping in up front full his full debut. Bore dropped to right back, while Kanouté took a place on the bench, and newcomer Matthew Park came in for Gowling in central defence. Youngster Nialle Rodney made the bench. Otherwise, we were unchanged from the side that drew against Wrexham.

Marques was again rated our key man—for the fourth time in five matches. It makes rather more sense this time, since Newport's key player was expected to be on-loan Cardiff youngster Nathanial Jarvis.

We looked the more likely team early on, going close twice in the opening ten minutes. But it was Newport who got the first serious chance. Jarvis fired wide when he should have done better on nine minutes. We made them pay moments later.

Koroma raced onto a lofted through ball from Power to score our opener—and his first for the club—in the 13th minute.

Good goalkeeping prevented Shuker doubling the lead on 20 minutes, after an excellent Marques long ball. Barnes-Homer then shot just over with a half-chance.

Marques found himself unmarked on the far post two minutes into first-half stoppage time to convert a Shuker free kick.

Two goals up at the break, we looked good value for our lead and comfortably in control.

Newport star man was booked for diving early in the second half, as his side struggled to make anything happen in the final third.

Not so for Lincoln, however, as penetrating runs from Shuker and Koroma tore into the Newport defence.

Jarvis wasted another chance in the 58th minute; the striker looked low on confidence and struggling, despite an impressive three goals in three games record coming into this fixture.

Newport winger Cherno Samba had a goal disallowed for offside, as The Exiles made a late rally.

Anyon got down well to save a close-range effort from Velez in the 83rd minute, but Newport failed to test the keeper again. We held out for a valuable 2-0 away win.

Marques lived up to his label as the decisive factor, earning man of the match for the second time this season. Park had a great debut, while Koroma, Christophe, Olembé, Shuker, and Bore also performed well.

We stay top of the table thanks to superior goal difference over Mansfield. Next match is against 12th-placed Gateshead in three days.