Newport County AFC 0 Cheltenham Town 2
18:46, 18 Oct 2025
How pleased are you with your team’s performance today?
We played really well in patches. Late on, there were a lot of balls into our box and in the end they were just slinging it forward and you didn’t want something to drop because if they go and nick one, you know what it’s like after last week, it’s all hands to the pump and then you have to show different sides of our game. We have done that today and some of the football we played was excellent. If we can do that for longer periods in the game, we’ll stay in control of the game a lot more, but in League Two you have to be able to do both sides of the game. We have done that. I am thankful today that we’ve kept a clean sheet. We deserved one and we deserved one against Gillingham, but didn’t get it. Today was a breakthrough and they were almost 3-2-5 at the end, with your wingers ending up staying a little bit deeper and you can’t get any pressure on the ball. If you go to the keeper, one of their other lads drops out and sticks it in your box, so it’s quite a difficult scoreline really, when you are 2-0 up.
But you love a 2-0 win, especially away from home
Everyone loves a 2-0. I always say 2-0 and one of the strikers, or attacking players scores a goal and the back four and goalkeeper keep a clean sheet, it’s a pretty good recipe for success. The lads worked really well today, but some of the boys looked a little bit tired toward the back end of the game, but that could be their training load and it could be my fault because we needed to upgrade the training load a little bit to be able to perform better, longer, quicker or sharper. Maybe in the week, especially Thursday, I might need to have a little look at that.
Two terrific finishes from Luke Young, weren’t they?
Unbelievable, what finishes. Top drawer, the technique. You will find it hard this weekend, while you might find a better goal, to find two better goals from someone. I am so pleased for Youngy, he’s a really good lad, great in the dressing room, as they all are, but Youngy further forward in that ‘8’ he’s been first-class.
The role really seems to suit him doesn’t it?
I have seen Luke play there before and I know that he can do it, so that’s been really good. Getting Ben (Stevenson) to be able to release him into that area has been very good as well.
Stevenson, Young and Hutchinson seem to be working very well together in midfield
Yes, I thought Hutch would have done a lot of mileage today, but I don’t think his high speed running and sprints would have been as much as they have been in the other games. I haven’t seen the numbers yet, but I might need to look at the Thursday. If you overwork them on a Thursday, normally I don’t do that, but on occasions I have done it, so I need to look back at that really.
Jonathan Tomkinson again impressive out of position at left-back
I thought he was first-class today, absolutely first-class. When you think about him being out of position, all the back four were good today. His athleticism is really important, his size and he got a few important headers in today, on a couple of long throws into our box. Today will help him because he’s gone into two difficult games away from home, been up against it, with some good wingers against him or a good wing-back last week and Kamwa is no mug and he’ll stick you on the back foot, but Jonathan was first-class today. The goalkeeper was good and it was a foul on Joe (Day) at the end. He has ice on his face in there, so it was a foul. Normally he is as safe as houses when that ball comes in. It was just a good team performance again today. It was brilliant and we had more than 900 fans, which is fantastic. I thank them all. They have a nice short journey home so they should be well in the pub by about half six or seven o’ clock enjoying themselves!
How do you feel Jordan Thomas did on his return to the XI?
I thought JT was good for his first run out and he lasted slightly longer than I thought. He was really good today.
Another free week before Walsall, how pleased are you?
Yes, we always play too many games in this country anyway. We have this cup, that cup and another cup. Then there is another 40 odd games in the league, so it’s hard. At the top level it must be even harder because they go away on international break and play games as well. I am really pleased we have the break this week.
Seven points from nine and seconds away from that being nine from nine. The dream start or perfect return really?
It’s been a good start hasn’t it. Probably no more than that. We are pleased and it could have been nine out of nine. If I’d have been offered seven out of nine to start when I took over, I probably would have taken that for sure. We look all right.
Six games unbeaten for you now, going back to Hartlepool x 2 and Rushden in 2002!
They were memorable!
But what a difference a couple of weeks can make to the club
I can’t thank them enough, for how the people in Cheltenham have been. It’s always very emotional for me. I want to give so much back from what I’ve learned over the years. The experience I’ve gained. I want to give that back to Cheltenham Town and I am desperate to give them everything I know and what I’ve learned, good and bad. At the moment, they are a huge help. We just need them next week, wherever they are, all three sides of the group, bang at it, cheering the boys on every moment. They can be more powerful than I can be, certainly once the game starts. The boys have done well enough maybe to deserve their backing. I needed to connect the club back. I felt the club was probably a little bit disconnected. Maybe because I am from Cheltenham, maybe I’ve helped that. That doesn’t stop me wanting to do that very best. Maybe that connection is back and I thank every one of them today, hope they have all had a safe journey home and don’t drink too many tonight because you’ll have a sore head in the morning! But it’s been brilliant so far.
