Wayne Hatswell feels Newport should have taken all three points against Bradford

Posted Sunday, October 10, 2021 by PA

Wayne Hatswell maintained his unbeaten start to life in charge of Newport but felt his side should have claimed another win after a 0-0 draw with Bradford at Rodney Parade.

Newport beat struggling Scunthorpe 3-0 in the first game after Michael Flynn stepped down last week and they had the chances to claim three more points against Derek Adams’ Bradford.

Matty Dolan saw a fierce goal-bound drive hacked clear in the first half and Courtney Baker-Richardson’s header was also cleared off the line after the break, before defender James Clarke headed against the bar from only a yard out.

“We felt that we dominated the game, not quite start to finish but we were in charge,” said Hatswell.

“We always looked like scoring but didn’t have that little bit of luck when the ball fell in the box.

“We hit the crossbar and had some shots blocked on the line but we just needed some luck for a 1-0 win.

“The performance was outstanding and I can’t praise the whole starting XI and the subs enough, we are looking dangerous now.

“That was definitely our best performance of the season,” added Flynn’s former assistant.

“We were good last week against Scunthorpe in a professional way but this was a different challenge.

“They are a big club with a big budget and they were really pleased to leave with a point.”

Adams praised Newport’s performance and was pleased that his players withstood some intense pressure in the second half.

“I thought we started the game very well,” he said. “We got into Newport from the start of the game and got down the sides of them, which caused them a lot of trouble.

“But, in the end, we haven’t picked the right pass or had the shot at goal to get that first goal.

“It was a bit of a topsy-turvy afternoon. I would say we had the better of the first half and Newport had the better of the second.”

Striker Andy Cook had the visitors’ best early chance but his shot was kept out by the legs of goalkeeper Joe Day, who also denied Alex Gilliead in stoppage time.

“We had to deal with a lot of pressure,” admitted Adams. “In seasons gone by we probably would have lost that game but I think the mental strength was there today.

“This is a difficult venue to come to and I thought we dealt well with the whole occasion.

“I think this is the toughest game we’ve had this season,” added the former Morecambe manager.

“We haven’t come up against a team who threw everything at us like they did – they put crosses into the box and corners and free-kicks. That’s how they try to get the goal.”