McCoulsky at the double as Exiles get over first Cup hurdle
SOUTHEND ........................ 0 NEWPORT CTY ................. 2
SHAWN McCoulsky was the hero yet again with a second half double at Roots Hall that saw Newport County dump League One Southend United out of the League Cup.
After bagging a 94th minute leveller to earn the Exiles a point in dramatic fashion in their League Two opener at Stevenage at the weekend, the on-loan Bristol City striker was handed a start by boss Mike Flynn – and grabbed the goals that fired County into the second round of the competition for the first time in four seasons.
There were four changes to the side that started that 3-3 draw at Stevenage.
In came Ben White, David Pipe – who took the captain’s armband – Tom Owen-Evans as well as McCoulsky in place of Mark O’Brien, normal skipper Joss Labadie, Sean Rigg and Frank Nouble.
In what were fairly-even opening exchanges, Owen-Evans had a shot blocked by Jason Demetriou and then tried his luck again 15 minutes in, but his curling effort finished just inches over keeper Ted Smith’s goal.
Newport then had a glorious chance to take the lead on the halfhour mark when, getting on the end of a Robbie Willmott cross from the right, McCoulsky somehow missed the target from close range with a header when he probably should have scored.
Six minutes later at the other end Simon Cox headed straight at Joe Day – his first real save – after a great delivery from Theo Robinson. Southend then went mighty close themselves two minutes before the interval when Stephen Hendrie rattled the woodwork as the sides went in goalless.
But it was County who would break the deadlock seven minutes after the re-start and it was that man McCoulsky who made up for his earlier miss – outpacing Rob Kiernan to roll into an empty net after Lamar Reynolds had poked the ball past Smith. It got even better for Newport six minutes later when great work from OwenEvans resulted in him eventually crossing for McCoulsky who converted from close range and there was no way back for Southend.
Next up for County is a league trip to Crewe Alexandra on Saturday.