Ben Garner hails Swindon’s battling spirit after hard-fought win at Newport

Posted Sunday, November 21, 2021 by PA

Swindon manager Ben Garner praised his team’s mental strength as they secured a hard-fought 2-1 win at Newport thanks to Jack Payne’s late strike at Rodney Parade.

A Finn Azaz own goal put the visitors ahead with 17 minutes remaining but Dom Telford netted his 12th of the season to level the match a minute later.

Both sides looked to have settled for a point but Payne had other ideas and he fired low past Newport goalkeeper Joe Day from the edge of the area to settle a tight contest in the 88th minute.

“It’s probably one of our hardest games of the season,” said Garner.

“We dug in and fought and we had spells where we passed the ball really well. They had spells where they had the momentum and they were a huge threat with their long throws and balls into the box.

“We withstood the pressure well and it’s a really good three points at a very difficult place to come.”

Oli Cooper had forced Swindon goalkeeper Jojo Wollacott into a fine save at his near post midway through the first half and Azaz hit the woodwork for the home side soon afterwards.

Alex Gilbert was denied by a flying fingertip save from Day just after the break before the visitors took the lead in the 73th minute when Azaz headed into his own net from a corner.

Telford was in the right place to fire home Cameron Norman’s cross moments later but Payne earned the visitors victory late on.

“It’s a brilliant goal from Payney,” said Garner, whose side climb to fourth in League Two.

“I was a bit disappointed with their goal. It looked like a foul on Ellis [Iandolo] in the build-up. But we’re delighted to come away with the three points.”

It was a first league defeat for Newport manager James Rowberry but he was encouraged by what he saw.

“Performance-wise, I’m relatively pleased,” he said. “It was just that we didn’t convert our chances.

“You probably learn more from a defeat. I learned a lot about the side and where we’ve got to do better in certain moments of the game.

“We didn’t start the first half particularly well but we got better and better and in the second half I was saying to [assistant] Wayne [Hatswell] ‘we’ve got to take a chance here.’

“We had to take one of our chances to build on that momentum and we didn’t but they are a good team and that’s football.

“We’ve just got to get on with it and prepare for Tuesday [at Crawley]. We can’t have that disappointment hanging over us.

“We need to react positively and keep moving forward.”