BRADFORD CITY .... 4 NEWPORT .... 1
GRAHAM Coughlan admitted he will need to build a “bigger, better and stronger squad” over the summer after Newport County ended the season with an eighth successive defeat.
County were beaten 4-1 at Bradford City on Saturday to match the eight straight losses they suffered under Graham Westley in the 2016-17 season.
They haven’t lost nine in a row since 1988 – the year the club dropped out of the Football League – and Coughlan is happy that he doesn’t have to think about that stat until August.
“It’s been 10 games too many for us,” said the Exiles boss.
“It’s not been good or acceptable, so there’s a feeling of relief that the season is over.
“We’ve got too small a squad to try to compete for 57 games, we were running in treacle every game.
“We have demanded a lot of them and got a lot from them. If the season had finished in midMarch, then we would have been relatively happy but it didn’t. We ran out of steam.”
Asked about his summer recruitment plans, Coughlan conceded that he will have to be busy in the transfer market.
“I probably started planning (for next season) when our play-off hopes ended,” said the Irishman.
“We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us, we can’t accept what we’ve had as a football club over the last eight games.
“The injuries have really hurt us, so we’ve got to learn from that. We’ve got to put together a bigger, better and stronger squad for next season because there’s no point in us doing this job if our ambition next season is not play-offs or promotion.”
County frustrated play-off chasing Bradford until just before halftime
when two quickfire headers from Calum Kavanagh and Andy Cook put the hosts in charge.
A superb third goal from Bobby Pointon after the break settled the contest, despite Harry Charsley’s consolation, and Jamie Walker added a fourth in stoppage time.
“For the first half-an-hour we were really good,” added Coughlan. “I don’t see that as a 4-1 game but we have been getting punished.
“Let’s get it straight, the first two goals that we conceded were inexcusable. We just needed to see it through to half-time at 0-0.
“Instead we came in 2-0 down after two free headers six yards out.
“I was really annoyed with the players because I thought that they were the better team for 44 minutes.
“Our game plan was spot-on and everything about it was really good, then we had two mad, crazy moments and came in with the game effectively over.
“That needs to be cut out if we are to take play-offs and promotions seriously next season.”