GREAT END TO A PERFECT WEEK
IT was quite a week for Newport County fans. Firstly, they were given the good news that manager Michael Flynn has extended his contract through to 2022, then they got the added bonus of a win against the odds with virtually the last kick of the match.
Not even Flynn thought his side were going to take three points against a muscular and determined Carlisle United side. Until, that is, George Nurse came off the bench three minutes from the end of normal time and won the game nine minutes later with a thunderous strike from 35 yards to complete a smash-and-grab raid for the home side.
What a strike and what a time to notch up your first league goal for your new club. It sent County up to third in the table and knocked the stuffing out of Carlisle.
“It was bittersweet for us because we didn’t really deserve it,” said Flynn. “A draw would have been a fair result after a poor second half.
“It was a nice time to win the game, but we were really poor in the second half and Carlisle were the better team. I had 95 minutes 25 seconds on my watch for the goal – it was over.
“It is harsh on Carlisle and Steve Pressley. I’ve got a lot of respect for the way he conducts himself and gets his team playing. It will be hard for them to take, but it is nice to have the three points.
“It is still early days in the league, we are only 12 games in, but the important thing for us was keeping the clean sheet. That gave us the platform to go on and win it.
“We were lacking a bit. We didn’t hold up the ball well enough, which meant we couldn’t squeeze up the pitch and our crossing wasn’t good.
“I went for it and put on an extra attacker and thankfully George scored his first league goal and it was an absolute screamer.”
Chances were few and far between and the best of them came to Padraig Amond in the eighth minute. Matt Dolan provided the cross from the left, Jamille Matt chested the ball down but the Irishman’s strike from the edge of the box went over the bar.
Midway through the opening period a Dolan shot was deflected over the bar for a corner, but the set-piece, normally a Newport speciality, sailed out of the box and clear of danger.
If that summed up the first half for the home side, they were lucky not to go into the break a goal down when Mike Jones pumped the ball forward from the centre circle and Jack Bridge ran between two of the home defenders.
With only Tom King to beat in the County goal, Bridge lined up his leftfoot shot but pushed it wide of the left-hand post.
It was a real escape for Flynn’s side and the manager responded by making a tactical switch for the second half by bringing on another attacker in Tristan Abrahams.
The change of personnel didn’t make much of a difference and the visitors continued to play the better football and apply more pressure.
Hallam Hope had two excellent chances and then Kyle Howkins followed Ryan Haynes into the referee’s book for hauling down the Carlisle striker.
Mark O’Brien then came to his side’s rescue with a lunging save as Jack Iredale looked set to score from close range after a solo run into the County box.
Then came Nurse’s late, late show to snatch an unlikely victory at the death.
NEWPORT: King; McNamara (Abrahams 46), Howkins, O’Brien (capt), Haynes; Willmott, Bennett, Sheehan; Dolan (Nurse 87); Amond (Whitely 68) Matt.
CARLISLE: Collin (capt); Elliott, Webster, Knight-Percival, Iredale; Sagaf, M Jones, G Jones; Bridge, Olomola (McKirdy 68), Hope (Loft 80).