By Gareth James
Kevin Ellison accused Morecambe’s Derek Adams of disrespecting him after the Newport County substitute celebrated loudly into his former manager’s face.
Ellison came back to haunt the man who kicked him out at Morecambe as he scored the vital third goal that allowed Newport County to cruise to a 3-1 win – and third successive victory- enabling them to climb up to fourth place in League Two.
The 42-year-old Ellison came on in the 67th minute with Nicky Maynard to provide new impetus up front for the Exiles.
Some 12 minutes later Maynard back heeled the ball from the edge of the area into the path of Ellison and he hammered home to make the game safe.
Cue a celebration run that included a tour of the home dug out and a few choice words for home manager Derek Adams, who had frozen him out of a club he had served for nine years.
As Ellison admitted after scoring, there was only one place he was going to head for – “the home dug out”.
Newport’s Kevin Ellison scores against former club and celebrates in the face of the manager that made him train on his own and didn’t ever put him on the team sheet, have that ya tw*t pic.twitter.com/2SfOn4K53N
— Football Shithousery (@FootyRustling) March 13, 2021
“It was the way he went about saying things,” said Ellison, explaining his confrontation.
“If he had been honest enough, and man enough, to tell me ‘I don’t fancy you, you’re 41, go and find a club’, I’d have respected him for that.
“He didn’t do that, he did things behind my back, but it came back to bite him today, didn’t it. Maybe people will say it was written in the stars, but I was quite happy with it as you could see from my celebration.
“The way Derek Adams treated me was disrespectful, so why not. They were ahead of us in the table before the game, and we knew we were coming to play a big, strong and physical team who have had some good results and been playing some nice football.
“I’m just glad Newport got the result and I owed them one. Newport County put food on the table for me and my kids, so that’s where my loyalties lie.”
Ellison’s super strike in the 79th minute added to Matty Dolan’s early penalty and another screamer from Josh Sheehan that regained the lead following an unstoppable, long range special from Yann Songo’o.
41-year old striker Kevin Ellison was frozen out after 9 years at Morecambe. Today, he scored against them for Newport and celebrated by laughing in face of old manager Derek Adam’s who made him train with the youth team. Bald Revenge 🙌 pic.twitter.com/DlSSpEjoFu
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) March 13, 2021
“People mention my age but I’ve always thought it was just a number,” added Ellison.
“If I look after myself and continue to make impacts like that I’ll continue to play.
“I try to look after myself even more so now I’m getting older, I’m giving myself every chance to go again next season.
“I can’t finish football as a pantomime villain without fans so I’ll play next year hopefully and carry on.
“I think I can play every week even if the sports scientists tell me I can’t.”
Morecambe were reduced to 10 men after only 38 minutes when their skipper, Sam Lavelle, was sent off by referee Andy Haines for being the last man as he pulled down Ryan Taylor. At that stage the game was all square at one goal apiece.
🗣️Kevin Ellison: “I’m glad and happy that I’ve done it for Newport County AFC because I owed them one. People will be saying that it’s my old club, but Newport County is where my loyalties lie.”#OneClubOneCounty
— Newport County AFC (@NewportCounty) March 14, 2021
Then came Sheehan’s shot past Kyle Letheren after cutting in on the left edge of the home box.
The sending off created more space for the home side to pass the ball around the field and next to pull the trigger was Josh Sheehan. He cut inside between two men on the left edge of the box and fired the ball underneath Letheren and into the goal on the stroke of half-time.
Then on came Ellison for his moment of destiny. He loved it, Adams hated it and the three points went to County to allow them to move up to fourth and back within striking range of the automatic promotion places.
