NEWPORT County made a nightmare start to the new campaign after slipping to a shock opening day defeat to Wycombe Wanderers at Rodney Parade.

The visitors, who only survived last season in the final minutes of the campaign to preserve their League Two status, were rewarded for an excellent defensive display as they took the spoils.

The Exiles were the stronger side throughout much of the first half, but they couldn’t make their chances count and were shocked on 41 minutes when Peter Murphy headed home a corner at the near post without a defender to challenge him.

It was a kick in the guts for Newport and things went from bad to worse when Darren Jones slipped and allowed the impressive Paris Cowan Hall to make it 2-0.

Justin Edinburgh switched his formation from 4-3-3 to 5-3-2 in the second period but the damage was done and County rarely looked like getting back into the game with Lee Minshull and Yan Klukowski missing their best chances in the second period.