Manager Michael Flynn spoke to the press ahead of Newport County AFC’s long trip to Oldham Athletic on Saturday.
Oldham won the reverse fixture earlier in the season 1-0, in a game of very few chances. The County manager believes this will have no bearing on Saturday’s match.
Flynn said, “I thought we were very poor in that game. It was a very scrappy game, where we gave away a poor goal.
“We’ll have to play well because they’re a team that works hard and can hurt you on their day.”
County will be looking to bounce back from Tuesday’s loss which saw another long trip, this time to Grimsby.
Flynn explained how he thought that performance was a one-off, “We were uncharacteristically a bit sloppy defensive-wise, all over the pitch, not just the defenders. The midfield had too many gaps, the strikers were a bit distant.
“Look at the positives, we played some really nice football, had some really good chances. We’ve got 13 games to go and I want to finish on a high.”
The Grimsby match also saw captain Joss Labadie pick up a suspension, with Flynn sure that his midfield options have more than enough to fill the gap, “The way we’ve tweaked it when playing more football, it allows the likes of Jordan, Otis Khan and Dale to come in. We’ve got to try and find a formula that works best for the team.”
George Nurse returned to the squad on Tuesday, easing some of the pressure in the full-back are for the Exiles. Nurse came in for much praise after his return from injury from his manager.
Flynn stated, “For 70 minutes, I thought he was excellent. I thought he was really good for somebody who’s been out for nearly a month.
“He came in and played 90 minutes, and he was one on Tuesday night who came away with a lot of credit.”
The manager also witnessed Padraig Amond’s 50 goal for the club, something that he believes could spur the striker on, “It’s fantastic for Podge. I’m sure he would have rathered not scored and us win the game, that’s the kind of pro he is.
“On a personal milestone, it’s good to get 50 goals for your club, no matter where it is, and long may it continue.”