COUNTY SLUMP TO THE SHRIMPS
NEWPORT County crashed to the lowest point in Michael Flynn’s reign as manager as they were beaten by bottom of the table Morecambe to make it seven League Two games without a win.
If times had been tough for Morecambe at the moment – they were one point adrift of their nearest rivals in 92nd place in the league tables before the game – they’ve just got a whole lot worse for County, who now have to find a way to stop the rot before they slip even further down the table.
They travelled to the Globe Arena seven months on from their final league game of last season when they secured a place
in the play-offs with a late equaliser. Those good times now seem a long, long time ago and they now haven’t won on the road in the league since a 2-0 triumph at Swindon on September 28.
A good first 45 minutes for the Exiles saw them take the lead from returning skipper Joss Labadie. His curling effort from the edge of the area bounced down off the bar and over the line.
Labadie made a big difference on his return and Josh Sheehan was influential in the beginning with his strong running and good distribution. But more than anything, Newport needed to turn their pressure into goals and get the second one to kill off struggling opposition.
Jamille Matt had a shout for a penalty early in the second half and then had a shot saved by Mark Halstead in the home goal after good approach work from Labadie. Danny McNamara then blazed over the top shortly before being booked.
When the second goal didn’t come, County were always going to be vulnerable to a smash and grab raid by the home team. In the end, Morecambe didn’t just come up with an equaliser, but found a winner that earned them their first victory since 2 November.
The home side grew in stature in the second half and it was Nick Townsend in the County goal who was the busier keeper. He palmed a cross-shot from Carlos MendesGomes onto the bar and over before tipping over a dipping shot from AJ Leitch-Smith.
Padraig Amond came to the visitors’ rescue as he cleared off the line to deny Steve Old. But the equaliser then came in the 68th minute from second-half sub Cole Stockton.
A second goal for either side always looked like being the winner and the Shrimps came up with it thanks to an incisive move through the middle that allowed John O’Sullivan to become the hero as he slotted the ball past Townsend.