Newport County 4, Folkestone Invicta 1

MARK Towse experienced the highs and lows of football on his full debut as a makeshift Folkestone Invicta side were defeated away to Newport County last night.

The 17-year-old gave the visitors a dream start when he headed home to open the scoring after just six minutes when James Virgo touched a corner on the right back to captain Danny Chapman at the Newport stadium. It was the first goal Invicta had scored in four attempts in Wales.

A goal from Matthew Rose brought Newport level after 33 minutes and the home side were to go ahead after 59 minutes when Towse produced an equally impressive header to his earlier effort, but this time into his own net after a very questionable obstruction decision against Virgo.

Towse was not the only teenager making his debut for Invicta as 18-year-old goalkeeper Paul Egan came in for the unavailable Dave Wietecha. Egan played well as he made a couple of good saves in the opening 10 minutes and it was only the fourth goal in the 90th minute which he might have kept out when the swerve on Scott Walker's 30-yard strike was to beat the young goalkeeper.

Also in the starting line-up, complete with headband, was the brave Steve Hogg who had received both internal and external stitches after a nasty head injury sustained in Invicta's previous trip to Wales at Merthyr Tydfil.

Centre half Anthony Henry made the substitutes' bench, but sat the game out with an ankle injury. Striker Jeff Eckhardt headed wide for Newport after just two minutes and Egan must have gained confidence when he then made a good save to touch Martin Paul's header onto the crossbar.

Towse's opening goal came from Invicta's first corner and Egan preserved Neil Cugley's side's lead after eight minutes when he made a great save from Walker in a lively start to the game.

The visitors might have increased their lead after 25 minutes when Lee McRobert flicked the ball over goalkeeper Pat Mountain, but Billy Clark got back to clear off the line.

Egan touched a cross from the right over for a corner after 33 minutes, from which Newport were level thanks to a shot on the turn from Rose.

Had Invicta maintained their lead until half time then perhaps they would have taken something from the game. Egan made another good save to deny Walker after 47 minutes at the start of the second half.

Invicta had a chance after 56 minutes when Towse broke away and fed James Dryden, but his cross just eluded the in-coming McRobert in the middle. And three minutes later the visitors fell behind when Towse left his goalkeeper with no chance.

Eckhardt hit the post after 62 minutes following a cross from the left and Egan saved the rebound from Paul. Invicta's best chance to save the day fell to Dryden, but his shot was saved after 72 minutes when Virgo played him in.

It was 3-1 after 76 minutes when Paul raced through the middle to score after Darren Robison had dispossessed Dryden and pumped the ball forward. Invicta lost Scott Daniels (trapped nerve) after 82 minutes and gave a first outing to 16-year-old substitute Frank Fisk.

Towse might have scored again when Virgo found Matt Bower, who played the ball across from the left. But the visitors were to fall further behind when Walker's swerving from distance evaded Egan to complete the scoring.

There were bookings for Newport's Andrew Thomas and for Invicta's Bower, McRobert, Dryden and Chapman.

Folkestone Invicta: Egan, S Hogg, Virgo, D Larkin, Daniels (F Fisk 82 mins), A Larkin, Bower, Chapman, Dryden, McRobert, Towse. Unused sub: Henry.