Hatswell proves a point – now waits on job news from chiefs
WAYNE Hatswell is not sure whether he will be trying to extend Newport County’s unbeaten run in League Two to four games tomorrow night or potentially booking a long-overdue holiday.
The Exiles’ stand-in boss picked up his fifth point in charge following the departure of Michael Flynn, but knows that this week is going to see a new manager appointed to take the club forward.
Sporting director Darren Kelly issued an update on the search for Flynn’s successor at the weekend and the new man is set to be unveiled this week.
So where does that leave Hatswell? “I don’t know what I’ll be doing this week, no idea. If I’m asked to take training again I will or I might be able to go away on a holiday,” he quipped.
“Whoever comes in will find Michael left this club in great shape. He will be under pressure, but he will be able to build on that and will have more good days than bad.
“We’ve got some very good technical players and it is a group of players who want to work hard and who are beginning to understand each other.
“We just need to go on an unbeaten run to stay in contention at the top.”
County face Carlisle United at Rodney Parade tomorrow. They have just sacked their manager and are one off the bottom, while the weekend sees the Exiles travel over the Severn Bridge to meet Bristol Rovers.
“We need to win on Tuesday to turn this point at Exeter into an even bigger performance,” added Hatswell.
“We played some brilliant football at times, especially in the first half, and had Olli Cooper been able to score at the end we would have left with three points.
“I can’t be too disappointed with a draw here because it is a very difficult place to come. I was disappointed with the way in which we conceded the second goal and that gave them some momentum.”
County got off to a confident start. Cooper was wiped out by Colin Daniel in the fifth minute, earning the home defender a yellow card, and seven minutes later he set up a chance for Robbie Willmott. There was still a lot of work to do, but Willmott transferred the ball from left to right and back to his left foot before firing into the corner of the net.
It was a great start, but the lead as short lived.
Backing off home skipper Matt Jay, the County defenders paid a high price as he carried for 15 yards before picking his spot and firing the ball past Joe Day.
County got a lucky break in the 28th minute when Courtney Baker-Richardson teed up a 30-yard shot with his right foot. It should have been a regulation save for Cameron Dawson in the home goal, but he let the ball through his grasp and into the net.
That’s how it stayed until the break and there was no let-up in the action in the second half. County were guilty of allowing Exeter to get in behind them too easily and they let Daniel give Sam Nombe the chance to twist and turn on the left of the box and fire a right-footed shot into the corner.
Hatswell brought on Finn Azaz and Alex Fisher as he looked for more creativity up front, but the visitors tended to play even more on the counter-attack.
Cooper was denied by a superb save from Dawson with 10 minutes to go and that was the last meaningful chance.