NEWPORT County boss Peter Nicholas blasted his players for their "worst display" since he joined the club - even though the Exiles edged a 2-1 victory over Bath.

Nicholas was understandably pleased to get the three points put with precious little else. "It was three points, that was about it. It was an awful first half, the worst I have seen since I have been here.

"But I suppose at least we played badly and won. But we cannot play like that every week and we were fortunate to beat Bath.

"We got the rub of the green, which maybe hasn't been the case recently but we can't rely on that, we need to improve."

The County boss paid tribute to bottom of the table Bath for their battling display.

He said: "They played well, passed the ball about in the first half very well. They kept possession and we just weren't in it at all but in the second half we improved and I am pleased for Jamie (Moralee) who took his goal well, as well as playing well throughout the game."

The match changed in the second half and Nicholas joked that it must have been his influence.

"It must have been me that done it! I gave them a bit of a going over at half time but I wasn't throwing the china about or anything.

"Things did improve and it is just as well we got the three points."