IT was Newport County, but not as we know it.

It seemed strange turning up at Newport Stadium and not seeing Tim Harris around the place - and new boss Peter Nicholas knows that the club wouldn't be half what it is without Harris' endless hard graft during his five-and-a-half year tenure.

But everyone accepted County needed a change so in came Nicholas, Newport through-and-through, who has a reputation as one of Wales' finest coaches - and after just three hours with his new troops he got the desired result.

Garry Shephard was the apple of his former chief's eye and with the game at deadlock with just ten minutes remaining he showed his new 'gaffer' why.

County were defending a free-kick, Andrew Thomas, moved from right-back to the heart of the defence for the injured Jeff Eckhardt, half cleared and Steve Cowe finished the job, punting it deep into opposition territory.

Hednesford Town defender Les Robinson was the last man but he looked to have the situation under control when Shephard's tenacity paid off, he stole the ball, ran into the box, calmly rounded Michael Bingham and slid home his sixth goal of the season.

Nicko - as the new boss is known to his mates - who was dripping wet by this point after moving from his directors' box seat to the dug-out punched the air in delight as the fans danced in the stand as the Exiles moved towards their first success against the Pitmen in seven attempts and County's first back-to-back Dr Martens Premier League win since their 100% first three games of the campaign.

Shephard missed a great chance to double his - and Newport's - money two minutes later when he latched onto Scott Walker's through ball but his shot from ten-yards rolled agonisingly wide of Bingham's left-hand upright.

But the victory was only made possible thanks to a hat-trick of cracking stops, two at the death, from County keeper Pat Mountain,

In the first period he thwarted Hednesford's six-goal striker Steven Piearce when he found space in the box.

But after Shep's strike, he made a fine one-handed save, diving low to his left, to deny Town sub Damien Charle before beating out another Piearce effort from point-blank range.

This was a battling performance, it wasn't pretty but Nicholas won't care.

He wanted a victory on his first game, no matter how it came, and that's what the new boss got.

County looked nervy in the opening period as Hednesford controlled the game and the Midlanders had penalty claims waved away by Bristol referee Simon Knapp when ex-Aston Villa player Bryan Small went emphatically tumbling after a Lee Stanton challenge.

But Newport's nerves were to be expected as they're trying to impress their new manager and because two of their players were making their first league starts of the season and two beginning a game for only their third time this term.

The team were also adjusting to Nicholas' flexible style of play, 4-3-3 when Newport had the ball and 4-5-1 when they were defending, with Shephard the target man and Raith Plant and Steve Cowe dropping off.

Nicholas' intentions of giving youth a chance also shone as five of the starting XI were under 21 years old as were three of the subs.

That could have been more if Nathan Davies and Richard French were fit.

Right-back Lee Stanton and Plant, both youth academy products, both got their first starts of the season while fellow academy player and midfielder Allan Stevenson also impressed in his third league game of this term.

Newport County (4-3-3) P Mountain; L Stanton (J Dupres, 80), A Thomas, B Clark, S Benton; M Fowler, M Rose (c), A Stevenson; S Cowe, G Shephard, R Plant (S Walker, 74). Subs Not Used : G Jones, N Davis, T Hart

Hednesford Town (4-4-2) M Bingham; A Williams, C Brindley, L Robinson, S Ryder (C Adams, 69); S Airdrie (S Wray, 46), P Ware, D Simkin, B Small; S Piearce, K Francis (D Charle, 80). Subs Not Used: G Lancashire, A Jenkins