NEWPORT County AFC manager Michael Flynn will bring back the big guns against Middlesbrough on Tuesday after several players failed to take their chance to shine at Grimsby Town yesterday.

Flynn will recall Mark O’Brien, Dan Butler and Padraig Amond and he hopes to have Scot Bennett, Robbie Willmott and Joe Day available as his team go in search of more FA Cup glory against Boro.

The fourth-round replay, with the winners set to land a money-spinning home tie against Premier League champions Manchester City, influenced the manager’s team selection at Blundell Park.

But Flynn, who confronted an angry travelling fan after the match, felt let down by those he did select as County slipped to a 3-0 defeat.

“I thought what we put out there was good enough to win the football match,” said the Exiles boss. “Obviously, it wasn’t and it’s told me a few things about a few people.

“I thought Nick [Townsend] was very good, Tyreeq [Bakinson] was very good, Regan [Poole] and Jamille Matt. But that was it. They were the only four to come out with any credit.

“It tells me who I can rely on, and who I can’t. There’s a couple there who won’t…well, if they knock my door, they’ll have it slammed on them.”

South Wales Argus:

Asked if O’Brien, Butler and Amond would return to the starting XI tomorrow, Flynn said: “It makes my job quite easy, really. If I go and play with that team [against Boro] we’ll get beaten 7-0 so, yeah, they’ll be back in.

“Scot had a bit of a virus. He should be fine [for tomorrow] but I couldn’t risk it spreading throughout the camp – especially as we were away on the coach travelling up on Friday.

“And Robbie had a dead leg. It is what it is; other people came in, they had a chance and they blew it.”

Joss Labadie continued his recovery from a knee injury, while Andrew Crofts returned from a hamstring problem as a substitute, and new loan signing Ben Kennedy made his County debut.

“It’s nice to have Crofty back and Joss got another 60 minutes,” said Flynn. “He worked his socks off.

“Ben tried but it’s hard coming in [cold]. We didn’t even train on Friday because the pitches were frozen.

“He worked hard but it was just one of those days when a lot of things he tried didn’t really come off.”

Forwards Harry McKirdy and Ade Azeez also arrived on deadline day. They didn’t feature on Saturday but Flynn is happy with his January additions.

“They can’t play on Tuesday, and neither can Ben, and I just felt those two probably needed a few days training with us,” explained the manager.

“We needed a few fresh players and they will strengthen the team.

“I tried to get a centre-back in [as well], that would have been good.

“And, obviously, I would have loved to get Antoine [Semenyo] back but that wasn’t down to me.

“I’ve got a good relationship with Bristol City but they want to have a look at him and that must be positive news for Antoine.”

Read more: Match report from Blundell Park

Read more: Michael Flynn defends his team selection after row with fan