JAMES Rowberry said Newport County AFC’s players exceeded his expectations in victory at Bristol Rovers – although the new manager won’t be able to toast their efforts with a well-earned beer.

The Exiles enjoyed a 3-1 League Two derby win at the Memorial Stadium thanks to an opener by Courtney Baker-Richardson and a brace from his strike partner Dom Telford.

It was a winning start for Rowberry in his first game as a manager after he left his role as Cardiff City first team coach for the Rodney Parade hotseat.

It has been an emotional, exciting but draining week for the new boss, yet there will be no wild celebrations on his return home.

“I’ve got to go to a Newport & District Junior Youth League event,” he said. “I promised I would go to that, so I won’t be drinking because I’ve got to watch the game back later!”

County should have been more than 2-0 up before Brett Pitman reduced the deficit in first-half injury time.

They then had to weather a storm at the start of the second half before Telford finished off a counter-attack, then the Exiles wasted a number of chances to twist the knife.

South Wales Argus:

“They exceeded my expectations in the first half with what they did,” said Rowberry. “I was disappointed with the goal that we conceded because we were in possession and turned it over but for us to react the way that we did, I am really proud.

“It’s been well-documented that it was first game and it’s an experience that we need to build on as a club.

“It’s one result and we are not getting carried away, we need to make sure we build on this and keep moving forward.”

It was a winning start for Rowberry but the manager was quick to give the plaudits to his coaches Wayne Hatswell, Jarred Harvey and Jim Hollman, who are staying as his backroom team.

“We’ve only had one day with them so that’s why the credit has to go to the staff, all I have done is take the reins with their support so it’s a collective win,” said Rowberry.

“We have got a great group of individuals and all of them were fantastic today. It was a great experience and a great day but the credit has to go to them.

“If I didn’t have them [the coaches] today, then who knows what would have happened. Wayne, Jarred and Jim have to take full credit, plus the team behind the team. They were amazing for me today.”

One negative was the early loss of Matty Dolan, who suffered a thigh injury in the warm-up and was taken off after 15 minutes as a precaution.

“I was gutted about Matty, we took a risk and he said he was okay but I just didn’t want to risk our captain being out for a long time,” said Rowberry.

County are next in action next Saturday when they welcome Stevenage to Rodney Parade.