The talking points from Oldham Athletic 5 Newport County 0

Leap Day distress

This was the Exiles’ first match on a Leap Day for 28 years and the chances are they won’t play on February 29 again until 2048, when it will next fall on a Saturday.

And that’s just as well after a dreadful performance at Boundary Park. The extra day was one to forget for everyone connected with County.

But anyone who remembers that 1992 fixture, a 0-0 draw away at Leicester United in front of 228 fans in the Southern League Midland Division, will probably concede that the club is in a far better position now than they were back then.

Worst defeat of Flynn’s reign

Since taking charge three years ago, Michael Flynn has enjoyed more good days than bad but there have been some dismal defeats – 6-1 at Plymouth Argyle in 2017, 5-0 at Mansfield Town in 2018 and 6-0 at home to Yeovil Town last season.

Plymouth and Mansfield are tough places to go at the best of times, while Yeovil shocker was a real aberration in the midst of a run of seven wins in nine games.

But Saturday’s thrashing was arguably worse than any of them, coming as it did against an Oldham side struggling on and off the pitch and capping a run of just four wins in 21 league matches.

Doughty defence has fallen apart

Goalkeeper Tom King and his defence have been County’s most effective department throughout the season and they still have the joint-second best goals-against record in League Two.

But the usually rock-solid back line has shown all the strength of a wet paper towel over the past week with nine goals conceded in two away games at Grimsby Town and Oldham.

Scoring goals has been a problem all season, with bottom club Stevenage still the only side in the division to net fewer than the Exiles, but they now appear to have problems at both ends of the pitch.

Maamria makes Exiles suffer again

County fans didn’t shed any tears when Dino Maamria and Graham Westley were sacked in 2017 and they are certainly sick of the sight of the Tunisian now.

The former Exiles assistant manager loves facing his old club as a boss in his own right with home and away wins for his Oldham side this season and two victories out of three while in charge at Stevenage – only losing to a 98th-minute Antoine Semenyo winner in October 2018.

Flynn was irked by Maamria’s suggestion in November that he knows all about Newport and how to beat them, but the Latics boss does seem to have the upper hand against his former club and he had the last laugh again on Saturday.

Boss fighting for his future

While it was a dreadful defeat and a pitiful performance, it was still a surprise to hear the manager talking openly about fighting to avoid the sack after the final whistle.

Flynn has worked wonders at his hometown club since taking over but he knows that football is a results business and the current form cannot continue until the end of the season.

He was let down by his players at Boundary Park and, while the play-offs are surely now a distant dream, there is more than just pride to play for. The squad, all signed by Flynn, must now fight to save his job or they could face an uncertain summer under a new regime.

Read more: I've got 12 games to save my job, says Newport County boss