Caldwell offers to pay back the fans

CHESTERFIELD manager Gary Caldwell says he and his players will refund the 267 travelling Spireites fans after what he branded an “embarrassing” heavy defeat at Newport County.

The visitors were 1-0 up through Chris O’Grady’s opener on 37 minutes and could have doubled their lead before the break as Jordan Sinnott hit the post.

But Caldwell’s men were blown away after the interval as Frank Nouble claimed a 13-minute hat-trick for the hosts and debutant Padraig Amond added a fourth.

“A lot went wrong in the second half. We were more than in control in the first half and we should have been more than one goal up,” said Caldwell.

“We were totally dominant, but we made one silly mistake and after that it was unacceptable.

“We showed no character or desire at 1-1. It was embarrassing, we have to hold our hands up.

“The players and myself will be doing something to pay back the fans because the last half-an-hour was unacceptable.”

Chesterfield also lost defender Bradley Barry to a broken leg in the first half to compound their misery.

But it was a dream return home to Rodney Parade for Michael Flynn’s Exiles, who had played their first five matches away from home while a new £750,000 hybrid pitch was laid.

Nouble blasted his first in from 25 yards on 55 minutes and headed substitute Dan Butler’s cross over Tommy Lee for his second on 66 minutes.

And two minutes later, Amond headed another Butler cross back across goal and Nouble was on hand to nod in from close range.

Amond, signed from Hartlepool United on Thursday, then sealed a perfect day for the home side as he found the bottom corner from eight yards out eight minutes from time.

The three points lifted County to second in the League Two table. “I’d have taken 4-1 all day,” said Flynn. “They’re a very good team and they cut us open at times and caused us problems.

“But we matched them and took the game to them and the players were outstanding.

“At times Frank is unplayable. He scored a hat-trick and he could have had another.

“He’s got to realise he is that big a player for us. But it wasn’t just him. The whole team was superb. There’s things to work on but I’m really happy with the way we turned it around.”