Hayden Mullins described Newport County’s first-half display as their best 45 minutes of the season after the Exiles recorded an emphatic 4-1 victory over Chesterfield at Rodney Parade.
County made an outstanding start to Friday night’s contest, scoring four goals before half-time to put themselves firmly in control against a side Mullins believes will be challenging towards the top end of the division.
The manager was particularly pleased with the intensity, application and execution of the game plan, praising his players for delivering everything that had been asked of them.
“I really think the lads blew them away. Our start and what we did, how we played to our strengths and what we wanted to try and do, all the things we asked of the group in the first half, they did.
“It probably is our best 45 minutes that we've put together this season. The level of intensity more than anything in that first half was definitely impressive.”
Despite County being unable to replicate the same level of intensity after the break, Mullins recognised the difficulty of maintaining such a commanding performance while protecting a four-goal advantage.
The manager was also pleased with the response shown by his players, highlighting the strength and determination within the squad, while acknowledging the quality of the opposition.
“The goal we conceded was disappointing, but nothing really takes away from our first half. It was a really good squad performance.”
Mullins also praised Harrison Biggins, who marked an impressive individual display with a goal and the Man of the Match award.
The midfielder showed his confidence by stepping up to take another penalty following last weekend’s disappointment, with Mullins highlighting his attacking contribution and growing numbers in front of goal.
“Biggins is a confident player. He's someone who, when he's on his game, is a real threat for us and a threat for the opposition.
“He's getting the numbers that he deserves in terms of goals and assists now because his energy for us going forward is top class.”
The County boss also reflected on the side’s impressive home performances, explaining that the team understands its strengths and how to use them to cause problems for opposition sides.
“We know what our strengths are. We know what we are, we know how to hurt the opposition and we try and play towards that.”
The manager was encouraged by the returning players, with Tom Davies making his first start since the trip to Bristol Rovers and James Crole returning to action following a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Shaquille Gwengwe is also available again after serving his three-match suspension, with Mullins confirming that the forward would be involved in Tuesday night's fixture.
Looking ahead, Mullins stressed the importance of continuing to compete across all competitions, with County preparing for their upcoming cup fixtures against Crystal Palace in the Vertu Trophy and Walsall in the Emirates FA Cup.
“We've tried to attack and set out to win in all the competitions we've been in this season, so it'll be no different.”
The victory over Chesterfield provides County with another positive result as they look to build on their strong performances at Rodney Parade and continue their progress throughout the campaign.