NELSON Jardim would have loved to have serious selection headaches on the long drive back from east London but Newport County AFC failed to fire at Leyton Orient.

The Exiles were knockout out of the Carabao Cup in the first round for the first time since 2016 on Tuesday evening.

They were on level terms for just 42 seconds after Daniel Agyei exploited some sloppy defending and Diallang Jaiyesimi headed in a second in added time.

Former County loanee Brandon Cooper nodded in unmarked five minutes after the restart before James Clarke get the visitors some hope on the hour with a header from a free-kick.

County were looking to make it nervy but then Charlie Kelmen slotted a fourth on 74 minutes to seal Orient’s progress.

Here are some talking points from the cup clash…

ATTACK: Kiban Rai driving forward for County at Leyton OrientATTACK: Kiban Rai driving forward for County at Leyton Orient (Image: Juan Gasparini/Huw Evans Agency)

CHANCES MISSED

Jardim tinkered with his team but this was still an XI of contenders to be regulars and they failed to really stake a claim for a start against Doncaster on Saturday.

County have rung the changes for first round ties in the past and famously upset League One Ipswich despite fielding the likes of Louis Hall, Joe Woodiwiss, Chris Missilou, Aneurin Livermore, Timmy Abraham and Jordan Greenidge – none of whom made a big impact at the club – at Portman Road (with youngsters Evan Ovendale, Sonny Lewis, Jack Karadogan and Ryan Hillier on the bench).

This was stronger line-up but the performance lacked spark and quality until a brief spell in the second half before the fourth goal killed any momentum.

One imagines that the starting line-up that is revealed at 2pm on Saturday will be similar to the one that was on the field in the closing stages.

Jardim is probably inching towards knowing his first-choice team and the fixture list is pretty gentle in the first two months of the season.

County now have just two Tuesday games before October, both of them in the EFL Trophy; this is a chance to stick with the starters, nail down some combinations and graft hard on the training pitch.

The Exiles have a big squad but there are still concerns about a lack of experience and quality in certain positions, especially if injury strikes.

It’s been a busy summer but more ins are probably needed and that might require the odd departure, whether on loan or permanently.

BLOW: County striker Luke Jephcott after a bang to the back of his head at OrientBLOW: County striker Luke Jephcott after a bang to the back of his head at Orient (Image: Juan Gasparini/Huw Evans Agency)

LEADING THE LINE

Striker Luke Jephcott got a starting opportunity but his display merely emphasised the importance of Courtney Baker-Richardson.

Jephcott won 50 per cent of his aerial duels and the ball didn't really stick up top, then Baker-Richardson came on and threatened behind in the closing stages with one neat break (when there was a complete lack of support).

Jephcott has a good track record of scoring goals and he desperately needs one to kick-start his County career.

It’s now 18 games (six starts) without getting on the scoresheet for County and it feels like a strike would bring on the other parts of his game.

Jephcott’s last competitive goal was for Swindon in April, 2023 and the longer the drought goes on, the tougher it will be.

The 24-year-old is probably more suited to playing in a front two but Jardim is going with a 4-5-1/4-3-3, so Jephcott needs to adapt and try to show that he could be an option to play off Baker-Richardson.

The loss of novice striker Hamzad Kargbo to a dislocated shoulder, which tend to be lay-offs of around three months, presents County with a problem because they look light up front.

CHALLENGE: County left-back Anthony Glennon goes up for the ballCHALLENGE: County left-back Anthony Glennon goes up for the ball (Image: Juan Gasparini/Huw Evans Agency)

SOFT GOALS

All four of Orient’s goals were poor from a County point of view.

Jameson wasn’t tight enough for the opener then both Agyei and Sean Clare had loads of time for the lay-off and cross that led to the second.

Cooper was unmarked for the third from a recycled corner and then goalkeeper Jacob Carney was hesitant when coming off his line for the fourth.

County haven’t kept a clean sheet since Wimbledon in March – a run of 10 straight losses – and it’s not just a back four thing.

There is lots of arm waving when passes go astray and the defence and midfield (one of which is a man who prefers to play centre-back) need time to gel.

The Exiles want to be a possession-based side, which is yet to really come through, but they also have to have more snap without the ball.

The fear going into the season was that County would play themselves into trouble to concede but so far their downfall has been down to sloppiness and softness.