Birthday blues for Flynn as U’s win
NEWPORT CO .................... 1 COLCHESTER ................... 2
NEWPORT County lost their unbeaten home record in League Two as a familiar face guided Colchester United to victory and ruined Mike Flynn’s 37th birthday.
The hosts dominated the majority of the game but second-half goals from former County right-back Ryan Jackson and Mikael Mandron condemned them to defeat, despite Shawn McCoulsky’s late header.
County almost made the perfect start as Frank Nouble used his pace and power to cut inside two defenders and tee up Joss Labadie, but the skipper fired over. And that proved to be the captain’s only chance of the game as he appeared to pull his hamstring 10 minutes later and Sean Rigg replaced him.
The Matty Dolan corner has been a lethal weapon for the Exiles and Rigg almost benefited from it, but his header was deflected wide as County continued to pressure the U’s goal.
However, Colchester were not to be ignored and Joe Day had to be at his best to deny Brandon Hanlan after a terrific Mandron pass put the 20-year-old one-on-one.
But that was to be the only scare of the half for County.
The hosts started the second half as they ended the first with Dolan swinging in a couple of corners, but the Exiles failed to really test U’s goalkeeper Sam Walker. At the other end, Mandron had the first real chance of the half but steered a closerange volley wide.
However, County continued to see more of the ball and should have gone ahead when David Pipe sent Padraig Amond clean through, but Walker denied the striker.
Despite the hosts’ domination, it was the visitors who broke the deadlock. Mandron and Hanlan battled their way through the County defence before the former fired a cross in the box, which Jackson tucked away. The goal sparked Colchester into life and Mandron looked to have sealed the points when he knocked in a Sean Murray free kick minutes later.
But McCoulsky set up a tense finale when he headed County back into the game. However, the U’s held on for the three points.