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Date published: November 8, 2026
Newport County
WalsallThe FA Cup first round is one of those weekends where lower league football gets its moment in the spotlight, and this tie between two League Two sides is exactly the kind of game that makes the competition special. Newport County and Walsall are both clubs with genuine FA Cup pedigree at this level, and there is real competitive edge here beyond just the romance of the cup. Walsall arrive as one of the form teams in the fourth tier, while Newport have quietly been building something solid at Rodney Parade under Hayden Mullins. This is a proper match between two well organised football clubs who both want to progress.
What gives this fixture extra flavour is the contrast in league positions. Walsall are sitting third in League Two with real promotion ambitions, but Newport are no pushover at home. Neither side will want an early cup exit, and both managers will be weighing up rotation against the desire to keep a winning feeling going into the week ahead.
This FA Cup first round tie takes place at Rodney Parade, Newport’s home ground in south Wales, in what is a straight knockout contest with no second chances. Both clubs compete in League Two, so there is genuine familiarity between these two sets of players and their respective managers. The winner advances to the second round and keeps alive the possibility of a potentially lucrative tie further down the line.
Newport have a timely boost heading into this one, with Shaquille Gwengwe back available after completing a three match ban that stemmed from an incident in the York City fixture back in October. Mullins also has the advantage of having used an EFL Trophy game in midweek to give fringe players minutes, which means his stronger XI should be relatively fresh. Harrison Biggins looks set to keep his place after a goal and an assist in the 4-1 league win over Chesterfield last weekend.
Walsall boss Lee Grant is expected to ring the changes after his regular starters got heavy minutes in League Two. Several players who have carried the load through the first part of the season could find themselves among the substitutes:
Mullins looks set to go with a team close to his best available, keeping faith with the players who delivered that big win over Chesterfield. Biggins is nailed on after his recent form, and Gwengwe’s return adds an extra option off the bench at minimum.
Newport County: Wright; Norman, Jenkins, Cameron, Davies; Brennan, Smith; Adu-Poku; Biggins, Bamba; Etete
For Walsall, Grant is likely to shuffle his pack but not to the point of fielding an entirely unfamiliar XI. The players coming in have been around the squad all season and know the system.
Walsall: Ward; Ahui, Leak, Connolly, Furlong; Crew, Sprangler; Simper, Sodje, Clarke; Dallas
Walsall’s league form has been genuinely impressive. Across 13 League Two games heading into November, they had lost just once, and that defeat was a 4-2 reverse against Salford City, who are running away with the division. What is particularly telling is the defensive record in those other 12 matches: just eight goals conceded. That is the kind of solidity that wins promotions. They followed up the Salford setback by beating Colchester United, which showed real character and mental strength in the squad.
Newport are a different story to previous seasons when they were scrambling to avoid the drop back into non-league football. Under Mullins, there is a steadiness about them now. Eighteen points from 14 league games is a solid mid-table return, and crucially they have only lost four times in that stretch. The 4-1 dismantling of Chesterfield last weekend showed they are more than capable of hurting teams when things click.
The home record for Newport is particularly worth flagging. They have gone seven League Two home games at Rodney Parade without defeat this season. Walsall, meanwhile, have yet to lose away from home in the league. Something has to give in terms of those records, which makes this fixture genuinely difficult to call with confidence.
These two clubs have met in the FA Cup before, and the history from that tie points in Newport’s favour. Back in the 2016-17 first round, it was Newport who came out on top with a 2-1 win, so there is at least some cup precedent for the home side causing problems for Walsall in this competition.
As two League Two clubs who have operated in the same division for stretches of recent years, they know each other reasonably well. There is no massive gulf in quality here, which is why the head to head record matters. Newport at home, with a crowd behind them and a memorable cup win in living memory against this exact opponent, will not be short of belief.
This is a game where the team news creates genuine uncertainty around the starting XIs, and that always makes the betting a touch trickier. Walsall’s overall quality and their defensive solidity throughout the season makes them the logical pick to go through, but Newport at home in a one-off cup tie is never a comfortable assignment for any visiting side. The smart money looks to be on a close, low scoring affair with Walsall just doing enough.
Walsall’s defensive organisation throughout the season suggests this will not be a goal fest, and their quality in key positions should be enough to nick it. A 1-2 to Walsall feels right, with Newport grabbing one through someone like Biggins or Etete but the Saddlers finding a way to edge ahead and hold on.
Under 2.5 goals looks the play here. Walsall have been conceding at a miserly rate all season, and Newport’s home form has been built on defensive resilience as much as attacking output. Both managers will want to stay in the competition without taking unnecessary risks, so a tight, controlled contest with no more than two or three goals feels very likely.
Under 9.5 corners feels like the sensible angle. When two well organised, defensively minded teams meet in a cup tie where the margins are tight, neither side tends to spend the afternoon pinging crosses into the box. Expect a compact game with limited set piece opportunities and both teams keeping their shape rather than committing men forward carelessly.
Over 2.5 cards has a bit of appeal. FA Cup first round ties between lower league sides can get feisty, particularly when both clubs genuinely want to progress. Newport were involved in a disciplinary incident as recently as October that led to Gwengwe’s ban, which tells you something about the edge that can creep into these games. A few bookings feels very probable given what is at stake for both clubs.
Harrison Biggins is the standout pick for first goalscorer. Seven goal contributions in League Two already this season, a goal and an assist in his last home performance, and a manager who clearly trusts him. He operates in a position where he gets into the box regularly, and against a Walsall side that may be fielding a rotated back line, he has the quality to get in early.
| Market | Selection |
|---|---|
| Match Result | Walsall to Win |
| Total Goals | Under 2.5 Goals |
| First Goalscorer | Harrison Biggins |
Biggins scoring in a tight game that Walsall shade by a single goal fits perfectly with what the form and stats are pointing toward.
Newport will make this difficult. Rodney Parade is not an easy place to go, and Mullins has built a team with real defensive backbone. But Walsall’s consistency across this season is hard to ignore. They have the quality, the system and the experience to grind out results, and Lee Grant will not be sending his side out to make up the numbers in this competition.
Expect a tight, competitive cup tie that stays low scoring throughout. Walsall edge it on the road, but only just. Final score: Newport County 1-2 Walsall.
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