FLYNN: EVEN I COULD HAVE DONE BETTER!
MIKE Flynn admitted his Newport men were well below their best even allowing for a crippling list injury following their hiding at Crawley.
Striker Jamille Matt pulled County level shortly after the interval after Joe Maguire had given Crawley the lead after only 60 seconds.
But, after Filipe Morais had restored Crawley’s advantage with a 64th-mintue penalty, the Exiles caved in, conceding further goals from Ollie Palmer and Ashley Nathaniel-George and also having Fraser Franks sent off for a straight red card.
Newport went into the clash missing seven players and Flynn said: “It is frustrating because we had got back into it. I’m disappointed with the performance. I was forced into a lot of changes, but that’s not an excuse.
“Credit to Crawley, we could have let in five or six by half-time if it wasn’t for Joe Day. In the second half we were the better team, but the penalty changed it.”
Flynn, 38, named himself as one of six substitutes, and when asked if he was fit to play, he replied: “I could have played better than a few out there.”
The heavy defeat ended a fivematch unbeaten run, and Flynn added: “My players were not up to it. I’m disappointed with the manner in which we conceded some of those goals.”
Crawley have won all five of their home league games since head coach Gabriele Cioffi has taken charge, but the 43-year-old Italian said he was determined not to get carried away.
He said: “There was time to enjoy this win for 15 minutes, but we have another tough game at home (against Exeter) on Tuesday night. We are a work in process, but this was a brilliant performance.”
When asked whether this was his best win so far, Cioffi, who is in his first position as head coach, replied: “It was a really good performance, but we played better at Notts County when we were beaten.”
Cioffi wants his men to improve their mentality for away games, having lost all three under him so far, while he is desperate for home attendances to improve. He added: “When we play away we are more scared and mentality has to improve. I want to make our home a fortress – an empty fortress is like a ghost.” Crawley have scored in every home league match since Boxing Day and it took only 60 seconds for the sequence to continue. Joe Maguire, on loan from Fleetwood, struck his first goal for the club from 10 yards after a cross by Lewis Young. Newport threatened straight after the interval and keeper Glenn Morris superbly denied striker Padraig Amond before Jamille Matt levelled but Crawley regained their advantage five minutes later and never relinquished it as Newport surrendered.
CRAWLEY TOWN: Morris 7, Young 7, Connolly 7, Payne 7 (Bulman 81, 6), Maguire 7 (Doherty 67, 6), Francomb 6, Vincelot 7, Morais 8, Camara 7, Palmer 8, Gambin 6 (Nathaniel-George 73, 7). Subs not used: McNerney, Poleon, Mersin.
NEWPORT COUNTY: Day 6, Pipe 6, Franks 6, Demetriou 6, Butler 6, Semenyo 6, Bennett 6, Sheehan 6 (Harris 70, 6), Cooper 6, Matt 7 (Pring 81, 6), Amond 6. Subs not used: Foulston, Townsend, Hillman, Flynn.