Nelson Jardim admitted his Newport County side rode their luck before easing to a 3-1 win after a strong second-half display against Accrington Stanley at Rodney Parade.
County led 1-0 in the 12th minute when Shane McLoughlin’s shot deflected in off defender Seb Quirk, but the visitors were deservedly level seven minutes before the break when Shaun Whalley fired past Nick Townsend in the Exiles goal.
Tyler Walton then hit the post and Townsend tipped over a fierce effort from Donald Love as the visitors ended the first half on top.
However, Courtney Baker-Richardson restored the hosts’ lead with a penalty in the 52nd minute after Love fouled Bobby Kamwa, and captain Aaron Wildig hooked in the third after 63 minutes.
“I’m very pleased,” said Jardim, whose side now have two wins from two at home.
“Winning home games is important in this league and the performance was, I would say, enough for that.
“But, credit to Accrington, they are a good team. They made it very difficult for us and I think this is a win for the staff that I have got working with me, they’ve been brilliant. And for the players, they deserve the credit.”
Not that it was entirely comfortable viewing for the Portuguese head coach, particularly before half-time.
“They caused us a couple of problems that we were probably not expecting, due to their quality, but I think we improved in the second half. We had to dig in and work very hard to win,” said Jardim.
“We have to improve. We didn’t do as well as we wanted in the first half and they made it very difficult.
“Full credit to the opposition. I thought they created too many chances but we were ruthless. If we create five or six chances, we manage to score three. But we know not every game is going be like that.”
Jimmy Knowles hit the bar with a free-kick and Farrend Rawson headed inches wide for Stanley after the break, and manager John Doolan felt his side were unfortunate.
“The players are a little bit down,” he said. “We didn’t have that little bit of luck but you make your own luck and that will come.
“We have got some really good players, the squad is getting stronger and what we’re seeing on the pitch and in training is encouraging, certainly going forward.
“The centre-back partnership will get better over time. It is growing and I thought we did really well in the first half.
“We dealt with the threats that they posed and we had chance after chance, but you have to take them and we didn’t. They did and that’s football, isn’t it?”
[(Real Oviedo) Strength]: 1. Real Oviedo are undoubtedly motivated to start with a win in this home game.2. The newly promoted team this season, Real Oviedo, performed well last season. Since November, they have only lost 3 of 18 competitive games at home, securing 11 victories.[(Real Oviedo) Neutral]: 1. Real Oviedo lost the last 2 encounters between the two teams, but their last one was 12 years...
[(AC Milan) Strength]: 1. AC Milan invested in transfer funds this summer, with strong signings like Luka Modric joining the team, significantly boosting their strength. The club has no concerns about European competitions in the new season and can fully focus on the league, with their goal firmly set on the league title. This match marks their first home game of the new season, and the San Siro h...
[(Pohang Steelers) Strength]: 1. Pohang Steelers forward Lee Ho Jae is 5th with 11 goals in the top-scorer standings. He scored 2 goals in the last 3 league games, and his recovered form helped the team rebound.2. Pohang Steelers won 1-0 over FC Anyang in the last game, securing a 3-game winning streak and ending their losing streak.3. Pohang Steelers scored 8 goals in the last 5 home games, showi...
[(Cruz Azul) Strength]: 1. Cruz Azul are one point behind the leaders. They are motivated to win this game and top the table.2. Cruz Azul forward Angel Sepulveda are 1st with 5 goals in the top-scorer standings. He scored 2 goals in the last 3 league games, being important on the team's offensive end.3. Cruz Azul won 3-2 over Santos Laguna in the last match, securing a 2-game winning streak. The t...
[(Fulham) Strength]: 1. Forward Rodrigo Muniz came off the bench in the first league game and scored at the final moment, helping the team secure a point.2. Fulham continue to be active in the Transfermarkt, with reports indicating they are still vigorously pursuing AC Milan forward Samuel Chukwueze.3. Fulham scored in 4 consecutive games across all competitions, revealing stable offense.4. Fulham...
[(Schalke 04) Strength]: 1. Schalke 04's recent performance was unsatisfactory. In this home game, they will try to win and get back on the winning ways, fully motivated.2. Bryan Lasme put in an impressive performance in the previous game – he scored the winning goal in extra time, helping the team secure a victory and advance in the DFB-Pokal.3. Schalke 04 scored 3 goals and conceded 2 in t...
[(Lyonnais) Strength]: 1. Lyonnais have won the first Ligue 1 round in the new season and they are eager to extend their winning record at home, with full motivation.2. Lyonnais secured a season-opening victory with a narrow 1-0 away win over RC Lens in the first round of the new Ligue 1 season. Throughout the game, Lyonnais had a 44% possession rate, 11 shots and 3 shots on target. They did not d...
[(AS Roma) Strength]: 1. In the 38 games of last season, AS Roma finally achieved 20 wins, 9 draws and 9 losses, finishing 5th in the league. They secured a qualification for this season's UEFA Europa League, with a remarkable performance.2. AS Roma scored a total of 56 goals in 38 games last season, and have netted 9 goals in 6 recently played games, maintaining a solid performance in the attacki...
[(Charlton Athletic) Strength]: 1. Charlton Athletic played a 0-0 draw with Bristol City in their last game. Although this halted their winning streak, the team have achieved 3 wins and 1 draw in their last 4 games, and their performance is worthy of recognition.2. Charlton Athletic scored a total of 10 goals in their last 5 home games. The team's offensive performance in their home games has been...
[(1.FSV Mainz 05) Strength]: 1. On August 19th, in the first round of the DFB-Pokal, 1.FSV Mainz 05 secured a 1-0 away victory over Dynamo Dresden thanks to a goal from Nadiem Amiri, claiming a winning start to their campaign.2. 1.FSV Mainz 05 have signed leading striker Benedict Hollerbach from 1. FC Union Berlin, with the two parties agreeing a contract until 2029 and the transfer fee set at 10 ...
- 1 Nantes vs PSG Prediction for 18 August 2025 - Football
- 2 TIPS - Cerezo Osaka VS Vissel Kobe
- 3 BVB, Monaco and Ajax go for unwanted West Ham midfielder Alvarez
- 4 ngland cricket legend’s granddaughter stuns in bikini
- 5 Ruben Amorim gives cryptic response when asked about Andre Onana returning to starting XI for Fulham clash after Altay Bayindir blunder handed Arsenal victory
- 6 Transfer rumors, news: Arsenal could turn to Lyon's Fofana
- 7 Lamela explains retirement decision: It started 11 years ago...
- 8 Estevao Willian set for 'key' Chelsea role after debut vs Palace
- 9 TIPS - Gamba Osaka VS Yokohama FC
- 10 TIPS - Gwangju FC VS Daejeon Hana Citizen