HIS OLD PALS OUT ROBINS
want the responsibility of making things happen on a football pitch.
“It’s no good having a late rally when you’re 1-0 down. We should have made more of an impression on them and we didn’t, but it’s not for the first time that’s happened.”
Swindon started brightest, regularly looking to play balls in behind the visiting defence.
The noisy Newport following almost witnessed a goal from their team’s first chance, when a dangerous corner forced home goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook to smother the ball on his goal-line.
Returning captain Joss Labadie then went close with a dipping long-range shot as Newport began to move the ball in a way that belied their recent poor form. Shawn McCoulsky and Frank Nouble were effective target men for County and some good hold-up play from the former resulted in Dan Butler firing narrowly wide. But the substitution of Sean Rigg for Scott Bennett after half an hour forced Flynn into his first tactical switch and the home side took advantage. With midfielder Tozer now at centre back, the Robins put the pressure on as Paul Mullin and Matt Taylor tried their luck from distance. Swindon continued where they left off after half time but the game became scrappy. Both sets of fans reacted angrily when Nouble was arguably fortunate to escape a second booking for dissenting a yellow card.
Labadie came close to a goal not befitting the quality of the contest, but his turn and half-volley flew past Charles-Cook’s left-hand post.
With chances at a premium both sides needed to make theirs count and Newport finally provided the killer touch with 15 minutes left; Matty Dolan sent over a corner from the left and Tozer jumped highest to head home six yards out.
Swindon searched for an equaliser and Preston headed against the bar after a succession of stoppage-time corners.
But after the game Flitcroft argued a draw would have flattered his players.
He said: “We didn’t make a big enough impression on the goalkeeper until late on.
“You’ve got to be ruthless in both boxes in any league, but certainly in League Two.”