Newport 2 (Reid 10, 28), Wolves 0
Wolves' Development squad suffered their first pre-season defeat at the Newport Stadium this evening as they were beaten 2-0 by a confident home side.
Newport County AFC have been upwardly mobile in recent years, winning the Blue Square South title with a record points haul last season, and a first half brace from Craig Reid provided the only goals of the game in front of a crowd of 1,250.
Wolves went close to mounting a response with various chances, James Spray being denied by the woodwork in the second half.
Danny Batth showed his power in the air in the early stages of the match making several clearances to repel Newport attacks.
In the eighth minute Wolves produced their first attack of note with an excellent diagonal ball from Nathan Rooney sending Ashley Hemmings away but his cross didn't find a fellow attacker.
And two minutes later the home side went in front.
A mazy run by Giuseppe Sole saw him run at the Wolves defence before finding Newport's current Player of the Year Reid who slotted the ball home.
A minute later it needed a Batth clearance to prevent a second goal before Stephane Zubar, being watched in the stands by older brother Ronald, also popped up with a vital clearance.
Aaron McCarey made a good low save to deny Sam Foley on 16 minutes and shortly afterwards Sole's free kick came back off the wall and Reid produced a decent chip which cleared the crossbar.
On 28 minutes Newport doubled their lead from the penalty spot.
Batth wasn't convinced by the decision after he was adjudged to have committed a foul inside the area but Reid stepped up to make no mistake for his second of the game.
Wolves responded with their best chance of the game as Scott Malone tried his luck with a free kick which deflected off the wall and out for a corner.
Stefan Maierhofer couldn't quite get on the end of Spray's cross on 34 minutes nor Hemmings' return ball and the same applied to the Wolves' attack from Malone's delivery minutes later.
Just before the break a decent low shot from Sam Winnall wasn't able to beat Glyn Thompson in the Newport goal leaving the hosts two goals to the good at the interval.
Half Time: Newport 2, Wolves 0
Wolves made a change at the break, Louis Harris coming on for Johnny Dunleavy, Harris going into the right back position and Zubar moving across to centre half.
Malone was enjoying a good game for Wolves and continued to forage down the left but his efforts to set up Spray couldn't bring about a goal shortly after the interval.
And Newport keeper Thompson then didn't have to do too much to keep out efforts from Maierhofer, Winnall - after a strong run - and Rooney, as Wolves sought a way back into the game.
But on 55 minutes it needed an excellent save from Aaron McCarey to tip a rocket shot from Scott Rogers over the bar to keep the score down to 2-0.
Newport's Danny Rose then went close with a decent effort which flashed wide as the hosts produced some confident and creative football in keeping with their title-winning exploits of last season.
Wolves though were still in the game, and on 69 minutes a dangerous cross from Winnall won a corner from which the same player had a shot blocked.
Shortly afterwards the visitors were denied by a lick of paint after Malone's persistence saw him cross from the left and Spray's shot came back off the post.
A cross-come-shot from Darryl Knights wasn't far away for Newport before Spray's shot was deflected wide for Wolves, and four minutes from time McCarey did well to claim a cross from Tony Taggart.
Wolves almost snatched a goal in the 88th minute as the impressive Batth headed wide from a Rooney corner but the last chance fell to Newport as Eddie Odhiambo almost grabbed a third goal.
Full Time: Newport 2, Wolves 0.
WOLVES: McCarey, Dunleavy (Harris 45), Zubar, Batth, Malone, Winnall, Davis, Rooney, Hemmings, Maierhofer, Spray. Not used: Bell, Connor, Miller.
PICTURED: Ashley Hemmings in action at Newport with Stephane Zubar looking on.
