WILLMOTT SECURES ‘RESILIENT’ VICTORY
NEWPORT County manager Michael Flynn hailed his side’s home win over Mansfield Town as their best victory of the season.
A first-half strike from Robbie Willmott was enough to condemn the visitors to only their fourth league defeat of the season.
“That’s my most satisfying win of the season,” said Flynn. “People probably won’t believe that because we’ve beaten Leicester and Middlesbrough.
“But as a group of professional footballers, what they’ve gone and done today in the way that they fought was my most satisfying win.
“They make me very proud and I won’t get tired of saying that. This performance was first class, it was professional and resilient.
“The boys were excellent. We hung in there at the end and I’m very pleased with our defence. We had one goal disallowed as well, which I didn’t think was offside.
“Robbie Willmott was outstanding and it was a great strike for his goal. But he was even better in defence and made some crucial blocks when we were defending late on.
“Robbie stood his ground and their attacking players couldn’t get round him. He’s a good player. That’s why we extended his contract. We try to bring the right players here and I do know my stuff, believe it or not.”
Newport dominated the first half with Willmott the beneficiary of a welltimed pass by Padraig Amond.
Joss Labadie also found the back of the net with a powerful header, but his goal was rules out.
Mansfield began to threaten with Joe Day getting his fingertips to Jacob Mellis’ long-range shot.
The hosts continued to push forward with Mansfield keeper Jordan Smith punching a Mickey Demetriou corner clear just before an unmarked Tyreeq Bakinson could get a touch to it.
In what was an ill-tempered affair, both Ryan Sweeney and Mal Benning were yellow carded for mistimed challenges.
Jamille Matt had a golden opportunity to claim Newport’s second, but he fired straight into Smith’s path.
With 11 minutes of stoppage time, Mansfield pushed hard for an equaliser but Newport’s defence held firm.
Mansfield manager David Flitcroft slammed the performance of referee Graham Salisbury.
He said: “I think the referee helped them. When you play on a pitch like this you have to have a good referee because it’s harder to see things.
“You have to put a top referee in these games who can physically do the work. Newport are a very good side and we knew they were going to be up for it because their players were fighting for a place in their side to play Manchester City.”