NEWPORT County AFC produced their worst performance of the season as they were humiliated by struggling Oldham Athletic.

Michael Flynn’s men were dominated from start to finish and were lucky to only lose 5-0 as they were blown away by the Latics at a blustery Boundary Park.

Ryan Haynes returned to the starting XI in place of Scot Bennett in the one initial change from Tuesday’s 4-2 defeat at Grimsby Town.

But Jordan Green dropped out after the warm-up, meaning Padraig Amond was drafted in at the last minute and the Exiles were left with only four fit substitutes.

That late disruption didn’t help County’s cause, but there were no real excuses for a dismal display that allowed Oldham to take charge of the match and pretty much settle it as a contest midway through the first half.

Flynn’s men were nearly behind after just four minutes when Zach Dearnley headed against the post from a corner and Jonny Smith then fired just wide.

Danny Rowe almost embarrassed a retreating Tom King as he so nearly lobbed the County keeper from 30 yards and David Wheater was inches away from diverting a Mohamed Sylla cross inside the post.

The hosts were dominating and they took a deserved lead in the 25th minute when Rowe took the ball around King and found the back of the net from the right of the area, despite the presence of several visiting defenders on the line.

The Exiles had barely recovered from that blow when they went 2-0 down as Cameron Borthwick-Jackson crossed from the left for the unmarked Dearnley to volley coolly past King from around 12 yards out.

After just 27 minutes, it was already hard to see a way back into the game for the men in amber.

South Wales Argus:

After an uneventful end to the first half, Flynn opted to replace the ineffective Otis Khan with homegrown youngster Lewis Collins.

But there was no improvement. In fact, things went from bad to worse.

Oldham extended their lead in the 52nd minute as Rowe was allowed all the time in the world to turn in the box and slot the ball under King from close range.

And Tom Hamer added the fourth 10 minutes later when his shot was deflected beyond King by the despairing dive of Ryan Inniss.

Mickey Demetriou recorded County’s first shot on target in the 63rd minute and, despite the introduction of Kyle Howkins and Matty Dolan, there was no way back into the match.

And Smith rubbed further salt into the wounds to complete County’s misery seven minutes from time as he turned inside Inniss and fired into the bottom corner.

County: King; Willmott (Howkins, 56), Inniss, Demetriou, Haynes; Khan (Collins, 46), Sheehan, Gorman, Nurse; Amond, Matt (Dolan, 75)

Subs not used: Abrahams, Green

Referee: Tom Bramall

Attendance: 2,912 (147 County)