Flynn reserves special praise for match-winner Sheehan

Posted Sunday, October 20, 2019 by PA

Newport manager Michael Flynn hailed match-winner Josh Sheehan after his spectacular strike sent them into the automatic promotion places.

The Exiles are now a point behind Sky Bet League Two leaders Crewe with a game in hand over their promotion rivals after securing a 2-1 triumph at Rodney Parade.

Newport made the breakthrough a minute into first-half stoppage time when Danny McNamara whipped the ball back into the box for Robbie Willmott to divert the ball toward goal before Padraig Amond headed the ball into the back of the net.

Flynn’s men were their own worst enemies in the 49th minute when James Perch played a teasing ball in across the six-yard box and watched Mark O’Brien slice it into his own net.

But the hosts retook the lead seven minutes later when Amond brought Ryan Haynes’ high clearance down with a deft touch and left it for the onrushing Sheehan, who curled a first-time effort into the bottom corner to claim all three points.

“It was a great finish from Josh, I’m always onto him because he doesn’t hit the target enough,” said Flynn. “A player of his technical ability should be hitting it more often, so I’m delighted for him.

“He’s been outstanding this season, head and shoulders above most players in the league.

“You haven’t always got to hit the stuffing out of it, it was a good, technical finish and he should be doing it more.

“I’m always delighted to get three points. We should have made it more comfortable than we did because they came at us in the last 10 minutes.

“Our position doesn’t mean anything at this stage of the season, it just means we started well. It’s nice to be there but we have a long way to go.

“Padraig finished his goal well, he was lucky because I told him I was going to take him off at half-time after his performance. But he got in the right place at the right time and took it instinctively.”

Scunthorpe’s run of three games unbeaten came to an end in South Wales, and manager Paul Hurst believes they deserved to get more from the encounter.

“I’m disappointed our run has come to an end,” said the Iron manager. “We felt like we deserved something from the game.

“We saw two different halves to our performance today, we know it’s a difficult place to come to.

“I didn’t think there was a gulf between us and a team who are right up there. Newport have won the game and that will make them successful.

“We played into their hands win the first half by playing a similar game to theirs then in the second half we passed the ball and looked a far better side.

“For the first goal, the fourth official had said time was up in the half. We had two throw-ins and a free-kick where he could have blown his whistle, he didn’t, and I got that horrible feeling something was going to happen, and that came true today.”