Weary Newport County setting unwanted League Two records

The summer can’t come quick enough for the injury-hit and leggy Exiles, who suffered a fifth straight League Two loss on the spin against Accrington Stanley on Tuesday night.

The Lancashire side took the spoils at Rodney Parade after responding to Bryn Morris’ superb opener with strikes by Alex Henderson, Tommy Leigh and Joe Pritchard.

County have now lost 1-0 to Barrow, 2-1 to Colchester, 4-0 to Crawley, 1-0 to Grimsby and 3-1 to Accrington.

On Saturday they host Tranmere, seven days later it’s a Parade finale against Salford and then they face a last-day trip to Bradford City.

County, low on confidence and badly missing injured leaders, have lost five league games on the spin for the first time since the Great Escape season in 2016/17.

If they don’t stop the rot this season then they would equal that eight-game run of misery under Graham Westley that had the club staring at relegation.

It would also mean the first game of 2024/25 would be to avoid equalling the nine matches of despair when going out of the Football League in 1988.

"Whatever we are trying at the moment it's not happening and it's going against us,” said Coughlan after the Accrington game.

"It's a hard watch and we are a million miles away from where we were. It's going to be a tough last three games.”

It seemed needlessly cautious when Coughlan, who was trying to avoid play-off pressure, was setting the target of matching last season’s tally of 57 points.

County are on 55 and now it’d be nice just to get one draw from the last three to ensure the 2024/25 squad don’t inherit the losing streak.

OFF: Adam Lewis' challenge led to a dust-up and the County man seeing red (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS

County had some grumbles about the officiating on Tuesday but referee Darren Drysdale, someone who never minds the spotlight, and his crew were certainly not the deciding factor.

There was nothing wrong with any of Accrington’s goals and the decision to chalk off an added-time strike looked to be correct after Luke Jephcott’s shot glanced off Offrande Zanzala in an offside position.

Adam Lewis’ frustration then got the better of him right at the death and his studs-up tackle on Dan Martin earned a red card that will end his second loan spell in Newport.

That three-match suspension puts his teammates, who are low on numbers and energy, in deeper trouble given that Matty Bondswell was forced off in the first half after initially going down with a head injury.

Left-back has been a problem all season – County’s best player down that flank is their injured right-back Shane McLoughlin – and it looks like top scorer Will Evans will have to finish the campaign there.

Coughlan needs a durable and dependable recruit in that position this summer, one to match the success stories down the right of Liam Shephard, Aaron Lewis, Cameron Norman and McLoughlin.

TEENS: County's Jac Norris and Nelson Sanca have been brought into the first team (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

YOUNG GUNS

County gave a second cameo and a home debut to teenage midfielder Jac Norris while right-back Harrison Bright got another opportunity as a starter in the absence of McLoughlin, Lewis Payne and Josh Seberry.

The 20-year-old from Blaenavon showed the odd flash of promise but it was a tough evening for him with two goals scored at his far post from crosses.

It shows the danger of turning to youth – through necessity, Bright has been put into a XI devoid of confidence and lacking leaders.

He has slotted in next to Matt Baker, a 21-year-old who is having a tricky period, when ideally you would have James Clarke or even Declan Drysdale to guide him though.

County are stretched in midfield so nor are there older heads providing assistance and it was 19-year-old Bristol City forward Seb Palmer-Houlden, in his first Football League season, who was initially deployed as the attacking player down the right.

Norris got a chance and it would be nice to see defender Nelson Sanca get a few minutes after being an unused substitute on 16 occasions so far this season.

Despite County having options up front, there is an argument for giving Kiban Rai a start alongside some experience after he has found minutes hard to come by in a frustrating season.

However, putting a batch of kids in en masse against well-drilled Tranmere, Salford and Bradford men would be irresponsible and would risk an absolute battering.

County have no option but to stick with the players whose fuel lights have come on and the individuals who know their Newport careers are coming to an end.

It won’t be pretty but fingers crossed they can somehow scramble at least a point.