JUSTIN NOT FEELING THE PRESSURE
NEWPORT County manager Justin Edinburgh silenced his critics with a smash and grab win at Portsmouth and reminded fans how far their club has come in recent years.
Pressure was mounting on the Exiles boss after a poor second half of last season and a disappointing start to this campaign.
But after a draw with Burton Albion last week, Newport snatched all three points at Fratton Park to claim their first win of the season.
Substitute Andy Sandell’s 84thminute free-kick beat everybody and home goalkeeper Paul Jones could not keep it out at the far post.
The goal put an end to Pompey’s 11-match unbeaten league run under boss Andy Awford – a run that started with victory at Rodney Parade against Newport in March.
For Edinburgh, victory over the 2008 FA Cup winners and promotion favourites was a day to savour and a reminder that his club is on the up.
“For us as a football club, coming to a place like this is incredible,” said former Tottenham defender Edinburgh, himself an FA Cup winner in 1991.
“Eight years ago they were winning at Goodison Park in the Premier League and we were playing in the Conference South at Hampton & Richmond.
“So we’ve got to remember where we’ve come from in such a short space of time.
“We were bottom of the Conference when I came to the club and now we’ve won away in front of 16,500.
“I think people have got to enjoy that because it’s a fantastic result and a fantastic day for us.
“We’ll always remain positive but we are a small club competing in the Football League for only the second time in our history.
“I think days like this are really enjoyable and something we can build on.”
Portsmouth piled on the pressure after the break but visiting goalkeeper Joe Day, making his debut on loan from Peterborough United, had few genuine saves to make.
Kevin Feely had hit the bar for Newport in the first half and Ryan Taylor missed a glorious chance for the hosts but Day’s only real save came from a Jed Wallace drive midway through the second half.
Awford felt that his side were bullied by a physical Newport, who enjoyed a second successive victory at Fratton Park.
“I don’t think we did the horrible side of the game well enough,” said the Pompey manager.
“We can’t expect to just turn up and for it to be easy.
“We have to be bang on from minute one because teams will come here and try to frustrate us.
“We knew what to expect from Newport and they had a game plan and got the result they wanted. “We created two fantastic chances and if you get in front it’s a different game.
“But we have to understand that we’re not going to win every game.”