NEWPORT County reversed the scoreline from Saturday’s humbling defeat at Field Mill as a stronger than usual side secured a safe passage in the Gwent Senior Cup.

The Exiles romped to a 5-0 win over Croesyceiliog at Spytty Park and it was just the tonic after Saturday’s annihilation.

The knock-on effect of being thrashed by Mansfield was Anthony Hudson opting to blood several first team players.

Andrew Hughes, Wayne Hatswell, Felino Jardim, Scott Rogers, Lee Baker, Guillame Velez and Craig McAllister were all given a chance to improve both form and fitness and McAllister more than anyone was grateful for the opportunity.

Without a goal in the Conference and seemingly bereft of confidence, it was the same old story for the ex-Crawley man who saw a shot cleared off the line and the Croesy goalkeeper make a couple of important saves.

However, McAllister did manage to score County’s fourth goal before raising his arms towards the heavens, subsequently mobbed by his teammates who appreciate it could be a decisive moment.

The real story of the night though was the re-emergence of Jake Harris who put the MacWhiter Welsh League, Division Two to the sword.

The former Weston-super-Mare man has been beset with injury since arriving at County in July 2010 and his battle with the physio room has been described by director of football Tim Harris as “career threatening.”