ROBBIE Willmott, Ben Kennedy and Keanu Marsh-Brown were all on target to earn Newport County AFC a 3-1 win at Yeovil Town, here are the talking points...
Back-to-back wins for Michael Flynn's men
Consistency has been the buzzword for a number of months as County look to make up ground on the top seven and this was the first time they have managed consecutive wins in the league since September.
That may have something to do with the standard of the opposition and the Exiles’ two-week break since the 1-0 win over Cheltenham Town on March 15.
Flynn’s men won’t have that luxury between now and the end of the season with eight games to come in the final five weeks of the season, but now would be a very good time to build momentum and create a winning habit.
No Amond, no problem (this time)
Top scorer Padraig Amond missed the match due to a shoulder injury and his absence from the starting XI had many fans concerned about where the goals would come from.
They needn’t have worried. Harry McKirdy (above) and Jamille Matt worked hard but had few chances as County contained Yeovil in the first half before taking charge after the break when they could have scored five or six.
Willmott bagged his third of the season before Kennedy and Marsh-Brown both scored their first goals for the club as they answered the manager’s call for more goals from the rest of the team to ease the burden on Amond and Matt, who have 38 between them.
Marsh-Brown shows what he’s capable of
The winger was on a high after helping Guyana qualify for the Gold Cup last weekend and he spoke before this game about wanting to bring that confidence to his club form and kick-start his County career.
It’s fair to say that Marsh-Brown still has some way to go to turn a frustrating first season into a success, but he certainly made a big impact after replacing Harry McKirdy for the final half-hour.
The former Forest Green Rovers and Yeovil man looked like a man on a mission as he ran at the home defence and he could have scored before his stoppage-time rocket if it wasn’t for a for an untimely slip when played in by Willmott.
Birthday boy Sheehan shines in Somerset sun
Willmott, Kennedy and Marsh-Brown got the goals, but it was Josh Sheehan (above) who was the outstanding player on the pitch according to his manager.
The midfielder, who turned 24 on Saturday, was rewarded with a start after impressing as a substitute last time out and he took his chance with a superb all-round display in the middle of the park, fully committed in defence and always looking to create going forward.
Sheehan is one of 11 players out of contract this summer and he knows he needs a big end to the season if he’s to remain part of Flynn’s plans. This was a great start.
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