NEWPORT County AFC extended their unbeaten home league record beyond 203 days with a comfortable victory over a poor Yeovil Town side.

Headers either side of half-time from Padraig Amond and Joss Labadie sealed the three points and ensured County put last week’s disappointing defeat at Luton Town behind them.

Matty Dolan, who returned to the starting XI alongside Dan Butler and Scot Bennett, created both with expertly delivered corners against his former side and looked back to his best before being applauded off after 70 minutes.

The trio replaced Sean Rigg, who dropped to the bench, and Mark O’Brien and Robbie Willmott, who were not involved at all.

Butler’s return meant a switch to three at the back and he saw plenty of the ball in a first 45 minutes that was dominated by the Exiles.

Time and again Butler and Dolan linked up superbly on the left flank and Michael Flynn’s men really should have been ahead well before Amond headed home a minute before the break.

Amond could have broken the deadlock after 11 minutes as he climbed to meet Dolan’s lofted ball into the box but headed high and wide.

And the best chance of the half came two minutes later after a superbly crafted team move.

David Pipe picked out Butler with a long cross-field ball and the left wing-back exchanged passes with Amond before drilling in a dangerous low cross that captain Labadie somehow scooped over the bar from just six yards out.

There was one heart-in-the-mouth moment at the other end when Francois Zoko’s effort clipped the heel of Mickey Demetriou and looked as if it would beat Joe Day but the Exiles stopper pulled off a fine reflex save to preserve his clean sheet.

Otherwise it was all County. Labadie and Scott Bennett saw goalbound shots blocked but they didn’t really force Yeovil goalkeeper Artur Krysiak into a proper save until the 34th minute.

The Polish keeper reacted brilliantly to keep out another Amond header but the flag was up for offside before the rebound could be stabbed in.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 44th minute after former Exiles loan star Sid Nelson was booked for dissent following a foul on Frank Nouble.

Dolan’s free-kick found Bennett and his header was tipped behind by Krysiak before Amond headed in Dolan’s corner from close range.

South Wales Argus:

The former Glovers midfielder was enjoying his reunion with his old teammates and his free-kick created another opportunity two minutes after the restart as Labadie’s glancing header was kept out by the legs of Krysiak.

Nouble then whipped in a dangerous low cross that just evaded Amond before Labadie clipped the top of the bar after being picked out by Butler.

A second goal was coming and it duly arrived just 10 minutes into the second half with Dolan again the creator.

Nouble pressured the visiting defence into conceding a needless corner and Labadie found space in the box to head Dolan’s delivery past Krysiak.

Demetriou then went close with two headers from after long throws into the box from Ben Tozer, also doing well against his former club.

County threatened to run riot as the away fans called for Darren Way’s head and the home supporters revelled in an excellent team display.

The rout never materialised and Olufela Olomola almost grabbed an undeserved consolation as he hit the bar in stoppage time.

But this was a fully-merited victory that lifts the Exiles back up to eighth in the table after 12 games.

County: Day; White, Bennett, Demetriou; Pipe, Labadie (Owen-Evans, 88), Tozer, Dolan (Rigg, 70), Butler; Nouble, Amond (Reynolds, 85)

Subs not used: Bittner, Barnum-Bobb, Jahraldo-Martin, McCoulsky

Referee: Nicholas Kinseley

Attendance: 3,689

Argus star man: Dolan