Hayden Mullins reflected on Newport County’s hard-fought draw against Rotherham United, the side’s second-half comeback, Ged Garner’s first league goal of the campaign and the latest squad news.
Mullins admitted he was disappointed with County’s first-half performance but praised the character and togetherness shown by his players to fight back from two goals down away from home.
“We’re really disappointed with our first half. I think that kind of start is out of character for us, but we addressed it at half-time.
“One thing I spoke about at the end of the game was our character, our togetherness and how we keep fighting and pushing right to the end.”
The County boss also explained how the half-time changes helped his side gain control of the midfield and build momentum in the second half.
“We made a change at half-time and altered the shape slightly, which really helped us get to grips with the midfield area.
“We got back into the game with a well-taken goal from Ged. We also got into the penalty box a few times and created some chances, but we couldn’t quite capitalise on them.”
Mullins praised the squad’s growing confidence following an extended unbeaten run, with County now unbeaten in seven league matches.
“It’s a testament to the lads and the character and togetherness we have in the dressing room. We always talk about sticking together on the pitch and looking after each other, and we do that really well.
“We’re really happy with how things are going, and we want to build on it. We really want to push on and see what we can get out of this season.”
Ged Garner also earned praise from the manager after scoring his first league goal of the campaign, having been handed a starting opportunity at the AESSEAL New York Stadium.
“Ged is a player who has worked incredibly hard, and he’s found it tough at times. It was a tough game to come into, away from home at Rotherham, but he played really well.
“He didn’t get much service in the first half, but he’s nicked his goal in the second half, which was really good for him. I’m pleased for him.”
Mullins also discussed Shaquille Gwengwe’s three-match suspension, which the club were notified of on the day of the fixture, admitting he felt the punishment was harsh.
“It came out of the blue this morning, which was bad timing. We’d planned for Shaq to be involved tonight, so we had to make a decision while we were travelling up.
“I think it’s really harsh to give him a three-match ban. Honestly, I really do. Shaq’s an important player for us, but we’ll accept it and move on.”
The manager concluded by providing an update on Matty Jacob and Tanatswa Nyakuhwa, who both missed the trip to South Yorkshire with hamstring concerns.
“Matty had an issue with his hamstring at half-time on Saturday, so we had to take him off. Tanatswa came in yesterday and reported some tightness in his hamstring, so, as a precaution, we’ve sent him for a scan and we’ll assess him as well.
“We’re a little bit walking wounded at the moment, but it makes results like tonight even more pleasing.”