ANYONE who thought the removal of Anthony Hudson as manager would lead to an immediate revival of Newport County’s fortunes got a rude awakening on Saturday afternoon.

After defeat at Darlington in Lee Harrison’s only match in charge last week, Justin Edinburgh’s first game as Hudson’s permanent successor was a miserable experience for him and everyone connected with the club.

The former Tottenham Hotspur defender received a hero’s welcome from the Spytty Park faithful as he took to the pitch before kick-off, and the renewed sense of optimism around the ground was palpable.

But the feel-good factor didn’t last beyond the first 45 minutes as County put in a performance to rank alongside the very worst of Hudson’s brief reign.

The fact that he had just two days on the training-ground with his new side is a mitigating factor, but Edinburgh’s Exiles appeared to share many of the defects that ultimately cost Hudson his job.

They were short on confidence and overflowing with individual errors – vulnerable in defence, toothless up front and lacking in any leaders on the pitch.

Visitors Southport played their role of party-poopers to perfection, scoring one superb goal and capitalising on two goalkeeping mistakes from Glyn Thompson to wrap up the points by half-time.

Edinburgh made four changes from the 2-0 defeat at Darlington seven days previously with Lee Baker, Wayne Hatswell, Tommy Doherty and Craig McAllister coming in for Paul Robson, Ryan Gilligan, Darryl Knights and the injured David Pipe.

His positive decision to switch to a 4-3-3 formation with McAllister, Nat Jarvis and Elliott Buchanan was almost rewarded in the first minute.

Jarvis saw his far-post effort palmed into the side netting by visiting goalkeeper Tony McMillan.

But that proved to be a false dawn. It was all downhill after the first 40 seconds for County and Edinburgh.

The first goal came on 30 minutes as a result of a long throw from Andy Owens – a potent weapon that the home back four and ’keeper failed to deal with all afternoon.

Thompson fluffed his punch and Paul Rodgers’ clearance only went as far as Simon Grand, who stuck out a leg and saw his shot loop into the top corner from six yards out.

Then came a moment on which the match may have turned as County were denied what looked a decent shout for a penalty when a Jarvis cross clearly hit the hand of defender Stephen Akrigg in the area.

But referee Justin Amey ignored a big appeal from the crowd and, tellingly perhaps, the County players didn’t protest too vigorously.

Nevertheless it certainly came into the ‘seen them given’ category and two minutes later it was 2-0 and effectively game over.

Whereas the first goal was the result of a defensive howler, the second came about after a passage of play that wouldn’t have looked out of place several leagues higher up the pyramid.

The excellent Tony Gray spun the ball cleverly past Lee Baker and crossed superbly from the right flank, where Karl Ledsham headed back across goal and into the far corner of the net.

Thompson had no chance with that one but he was again at fault for the third moments before the break.

Again it came from a long throw from Owens and another poor punch from Thompson allowed Gray to tap home from a yard out.

It has to be said the Exiles ’keeper was not happy with his defence and it’s true that he did seem to be impeded by his own defenders as much as Southport attackers.

The half-time whistle was a blessed relief for the players, manager and County fans – all of whom would have been fearing a real hammering.

But the one positive that Edinburgh can take from Saturday is that his side refused to give up and showed commendable character after the break.

It could certainly be seen as scraping the bottom of the barrel to clutch at the remaining straws but the new boss will at least have been pleased to have limited the damage to 3-0.

The demoralised players – now without a win in 12 league games – could have crumpled but they at least made a game of it in the second half.

That’s not to say they ever looked like scoring one goal, let alone three or four.

Tom Miller, moved into midfield to accommodate the return of Hatswell to the defence, turned inside Owens and tried unsuccessfully to curl the ball in at the far post with the outside of his boot.

Hatswell, who was County’s best player, saw a header from a Danny Rose corner diverted over the top and Rose himself had a decent effort from distance plucked out of the air by McMillan.

And that was that as far as the second-half action went. Slim pickings indeed for the 1,576 crowd on a day that was supposed to herald a brave new dawn.

Substitute Sam Foley, a massive Irish rugby fan, completed his miserable day by picking up a booking for diving – a judgement by referee Amey that summed up a depressing afternoon for the whole club.

As Edinburgh attempts to pick up his players ahead of tomorrow’s trip to promotion favourites Fleetwood Town, he will be under no illusion as to the size of the task he now faces.

In front of the watching Wales manager Gary Speed he can reflect that a poor start doesn’t preclude a bright future in the job, but on this evidence it’s going to be a long hard season for the amber army.