NEWPORT County AFC boss James Rowberry hailed James Waite for showing why the Exiles took a punt on the lively midfielder with the derby winner against Bristol Rovers.

The 22-year-old from Sebastopol fired in the only goal of a tight League Two game at Rodney Parade with a jinking run and powerful finish from the edge of the box.

Waite had made six cameos off the bench since his January arrival from Penybont in the Cymru Premier but was given his first start in amber.

The midfielder, who was released by Cardiff City last summer, earned an 18-month contract but has showed he isn’t just a project for the future.

“I was really delighted for him. He has worked hard and had an up and down couple of years with different things,” said Rowberry, who coached Waite at the Bluebirds.

“For him to get the goal, I was really pleased for him. He had a great upbringing at Cardiff and he demonstrated today why we wanted to take him, he is a bit of a project for us for the future.

“It was a great goal and he has worked really hard with Jarred [Harvey, first team coach] around the edge of the box, practicing that a lot with Ollie Cooper and Finn Azaz.”

South Wales Argus: CELEBRATION: James Waite runs to the fansCELEBRATION: James Waite runs to the fans

County were good value for the win but were thankful for a Nick Townsend wonder save in the fifth minute of seven added on.

It was another strong display by the Exiles against a Rovers side who had lost just one league game in 2022 to climb into promotion contention.

“I said to the lads that it was unbelievable but then I thought ‘no it’s not, it’s believable’ because of the work that they have put in the way that they have conducted themselves.

It’s incredible and I am so proud of them,” said Rowberry.

County have climbed to fourth in the table and have taken nine points from a five-game home streak that has pitted them against resurgent Oldham and four promotion rivals.

“We are undefeated and have played Mansfield, Tranmere, Forest Green and Bristol Rovers plus an Oldham side on a run. We have had a really challenging period and have come through it well,” said Rowberry.

“We need to stay in the moment and the next thing we are thinking about is Stevenage, we can’t get carried away. It’s Stevenage, Carlisle, Hartlepool.

“I am just trying to put a lid on it, we know what we need to do but have to go game to game.”