Newport County manager Christian Fuchs expressed his huge pride in the players following a crucial 3–1 home victory over 10-man Tranmere Rovers at Rodney Parade - a result that lifts Port out of the League Two drop zone after a 208-day entrapment.
“That’s a big result. Very big,” Fuchs said. “I’m honestly very proud of the players because it’s not easy to play against a team of Tranmere’s quality. What they did is they stayed patient, stuck to the plan we set at the break, and got what they deserved.”
Rovers skipper Sam Finley had slotted his team ahead in the opening two minutes as County failed to clear their lines. The midfielder was to be dismissed for a late challenge on Exiles' Sven Sprangler three minutes into added first-half time. This strike was cancelled out by Michael Spellman after the half-hour, the Geordie adding another late on, Cameron Evans notching a dramatic winner near the end of normal time in-between.
This was Newport's biggest home win of the season so far and the result might have been even more emphatic had Sprangler [twice] goal-scorer Evans, Courtney Baker-Richardson and Ryan Delaney had enjoyed greater fortune.
Asked about coming from behind after Finley’s early goal, Fuchs added: “I’m a little bit gutted because we’ve done so well in set pieces, and it hurts to get caught there. But again, the boys showed a lot of resilience and created chances even when we were still at 11 men.
“I’m very happy for Cameron Evans because of how much work he puts in. He didn’t play too many minutes lately, but he used his chance, came in and scored. And of course, Michael Spellman, who scored two goals. We’re very proud of the performance of the team.”
Fuchs praised the team’s defensive work, noting: “They played well at the back as well. We had to hang on at times, but the boys showed patience and kept to the plan. Against ten men, we created a lot of pressure, and eventually, it paid off.”
Reflecting on the late goals from Evans and Spellman, he said: “We had to be patient. Bobby Kamwa’s cross found Cameron in the box, and he guided his header into the net. Then Michael capitalised on an open goal in stoppage time. It was well deserved.”
Fuchs highlighted the importance of the victory for the club’s morale: “It’s definitely a great feeling to move away from the bottom two for the first time in 208 days. Psychologically, it’s very important. It lifts the group and spirits, and it’s very good for the club. But it’s just the first step. There are still big games ahead.”
On momentum moving forward and Colchester next up at Rodney Parade this Saturday, former Leicester City Premiership title winner Fuchs said, “Every game is a cup final now for us. The last few results, including this one, give us confidence. The boys have shown they’re hard to beat, they can be patient, and they can score goals. We have to build on that.”
The ex-Austrian international a praised the fans for their support: “The atmosphere was tough, but the [Amber] Army was incredible. They fought hard for the badge and spurred the team on, especially in the last half hour. The boys gave them everything.”
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Fuchs concluded: “Keep pushing forward. The last 11 games are all big. We have to analyse, improve where needed, and create momentum. The players have shown they have everything it takes to stay up, and we’ll keep building on it.”
