Sky’s the limit for Edinburgh and Exiles
NEWPORT County boss Justin Edinburgh believes his side can achieve anything if they maintain a clinical touch in front of goal.
The Exiles powered to their biggest league win since the opening day of last term as a Joe Pigott double and goals from Ismail Yakubu and Aaron O’Connor saw them win out despite Adebayo Akinfenwa’s consolation strike for the visitors.
“I am thoroughly delighted, we’ve not been clinical enough of late and we were and were worthy of the three points,” Edinburgh said.
“We scored goals at the right times, the first was a reward for being on top and getting the second so close to the re-start really gave us that foothold in the game that we needed.
“We exploited the space in the second half because they had to chase us and we managed to score some good goals in the process.
“I think we have continued to progress this season with our performances and we had to be really solid and I thought our back three were magnificent against a real handful.
“I have to make the tough calls as manager and luckily it has paid off this weekend because we defended well, I am pleased with the whole performance.”
Wimbledon boss Neal Ardley felt the scoreline flattered the Exiles.
“It’s a strange and difficult one for me because that was never a 4-1 game,” he said.
“I know the result shows it was but there was not much between the two sides.
“They scored from a set piece in the first half and I said at half-time we needed to raise our game because there was nothing to choose between us.
“I always felt we would have chances to score two or three goals in the game.
“In the end we had chances to score five but the moment that changed the game came 20 seconds after half-time.”
Newport were boosted by the return of Mark Byrne, Yakubu and Darren Jones from injury and the loan signing of Scott Tancock from Swansea as they tore into the visitors, Yakubu’s headed goal from Robbie Willmott’s corner one of several first-half efforts from the hosts.
However, the hammer blow of conceding 20 seconds after the restart really hit the Dons as Pigott’s deflected effort from 20-yards made it 2-0, the same player on hand to score Newport’s third as Wimbledon committed men forward.
Akinfenwa’s firm header did give them a glimmer of hope, but Newport’s Joe Day wasn’t troubled again and there was even time for O’Connor to add some gloss, blasting through a crowded penalty area.