NEWPORT County boss Peter Nicholas was quick to praise his players for bouncing back from disappointment on Monday against Sutton to pick up the points in the 1-0 victory against Bognor at Spytty Park on Saturday.

He said: "It was a gutsy performance and I am pleased. It was a good result against a very good side.

"I like the way they play so it was pleasing that they never really troubled us apart from a couple of crosses and at the end of the day it is a clean sheet against a very good side.

"We knew they were going to be a good passing side but we combated that by trying to keep the ball as best we could."

The County boss did not want to make too much of the two red cards dished out to Bognor, who lost the plot late on.

He said: "I don't want to make a big deal about it but the first one (for the foul on Kevin Aherne-Evans) had real intent and the second was just plain shocking."

That aside, Nicholas made special mentions of Ashley Williams and Andrew Thomas who replaced injured pair Scott Young and Lee Phillips.

He said: "I had to change things around a bit because of injuries and the lads who came in have come out with a lot of credit.

"I said to Ashley before the game to prove to me that he wanted to be part of the team and fair play to him, he has gone out there and really done it.

"Andrew has been out for most of the year and came in and did very well. He didn't look out of place at all. Scott Morgan was good at left back and Darren Jones played well as did Kevin (Aherne-Evans)."

He added: "I said to the boys before the game that on paper we had the best back five in the league and they had to start acting like it.

"We have leaked too many goals so far this season, so it is good that they have responded. "I am pleased for the players and for the fans. There weren't as many here as last week because of the rugby and the Wales game but it was good to bounce back in front of them.Hopefully now we can set off on a run."