Newport’s Michael Flynn: When we’re clinical enough we’ll give anyone a game

Posted Sunday, September 22, 2019 by PA

Newport manager Michael Flynn believes his side can beat anyone in Sky Bet League Two following their 1-1 draw with table-topping Exeter.

A first-half goal from Lee Martin saw the visitors lead at half-time, with Tristan Abrahams’ penalty salvaging a draw.

The Exiles are unbeaten at Rodney Parade since February and have only lost one game in 18 in the league.

“When we are clinical enough we will give anyone a game,” said Flynn.

“If we are on it we will give anybody a game and fair play it’s not very often they come up short. The side I fear the most is ourselves when we shoot ourselves in the foot.

“I thought we should have won the game. In the second half we were by far the better team.

“I just said to Jamille (Matt) he should have had a hat-trick but he said he should have had four. For 15-20 minutes in the first half they dominated.

“They switched the play well and looked dangerous going forward. But we grew into the game.

“In the second half we had to open up and play with more pace. Podge (Padraig Amond) wasn’t really getting the service and we had to try and change it up.

“It worked and we were by far the better side in the second half. I thought Exeter’s first goal should have been disallowed.

“We should have had a free-kick before. The corner was taken and it was a foul.

“If it hadn’t been taken fair enough, but it had been taken. The referee said he blew the whistle before he took it but he didn’t.

“The one incident I was fuming about that between the four of them they missed, was a blatant stamp on our player.

“It was disgusting and between the four officials nobody saw it. That cannot happen.”

The visitors took the lead when a cross from Dean Moxey was turned into the back of the net by Martin in the 16th minute.

The Exiles were awarded a penalty when Josh Sheehan was tripped in the penalty by Tom Parkes. Abrahams drilled the spot-kick into the back of the net in the 64th minute to level.

Exeter manager Matt Taylor thought it was a fair result but slammed the performance of referee Neil Hair.

“You know Newport are going to put you under pressure. I thought we started really well and dominated the ball,” Taylor said.

“If we are going to control the game like that then we’ve got to make more use of the ball. We did that for about 25 minutes and then full credit to Newport they threw everything at us and we just weren’t able to get enough of the ball for the remaining 60 minutes.

“We stood up to it, which I was very pleased with. It took a slip and a penalty for them to come back into it which was unfortunate.

“I thought the referee was influenced by the crowd, not in terms of the penalty decision but in terms of his overall decision-making. It felt like every 50/50 decision went their way and you could just sense that in his body language.

“I’m not moaning about the penalty but I did think the referee had a poor afternoon.”