Colchester jinx is laid to rest by the Exiles

NEWPORT County boss Michael Flynn insists he will not be getting carried away, despite his side’s deserved win at Colchester United.

Goals from Joss Labadie and Padraig Amond sealed the points, and Flynn said: “I thought it was a superb performance by the lads. I told you – I’ll never write these boys off.

“A couple of you might want to at times, but I’m not getting carried away.

“It’s three points and it’s the first time that we’ve won at Colchester since 1973.

“We’ve only scored one goal here since 1974 and that was last year so it’s a big, big monkey off the back for the club.

“It’s small margins – if we’re getting played off the park week in, week out and not creating anything I understand it.

“But that’s not been the case – we’ve made individual errors and missed chances at the other end and when that happens on a consistent level you tend to go on a bad run.”

Newport almost took a tenth-minute lead when Nicky Maynard’s low shot was scooped away well by Shamal George, following Ryan Haynes’ cross.

And the Exiles went ahead on the half-hour mark when Labadie finished low and confidently past George after he had been picked out by Josh Sheehan.

George denied Haynes’ long-range curled effort before half-time and, although Newport keeper Nick Townsend made a diving save to push Callum Harriott’s 20yard strike away for a corner just before the hour, the visitors were in charge.

Colchester’s task became even harder in the 76th minute when former Newport forward Frank Nouble was sent off after receiving two cautions in the space of two minutes.

And the Exiles wrapped up victory in the 78th minute when Amond prodded home at the far post following Labadie’s free-kick.

Colchester are seven points above the relegation zone and interim boss Wayne Brown said: “We switched off with the two midfield runners and that has cost us. It was disappointing to go behind but it’s about how you react.

“You have to give Newport credit; we highlighted that kind of quality before the game as one of their strengths. It was disappointing to go behind but it’s about how you react, when you do go behind.”