MANAGER Michael Flynn believes we saw the real Newport County AFC on Tuesday night.

Flynn was angered by a lacklustre display in defeat at Barnet on Saturday but they bounced back in style to stun League Two champions-elect Accrington Stanley at Rodney Parade.

Goals from Padraig Amond and Frank Nouble earned the Exiles all three points and inflicted a first defeat in 16 games on Stanley, who needed only a point to clinch the title.

And the manager was delighted with the way the players responded to his criticism.

“That was the real Newport County,” said Flynn. “I hope it wasn’t the one we saw on Saturday because I won’t be here very long!

“That [inconsistency] is the frustrating part. We spoke about it after Saturday.

“Nobody wants to not put a shift in for the football club. It was a bad day and I couldn’t put my finger on it – it was the same team that beat Swindon comfortably [on April 14].

“It happens, it’s happened during my career when I’ve had a game where you think ‘I didn’t do anything there’ and you can’t put your finger on it, but that’s gone now.

"They’ve given me exactly what I wanted and they gave me the reaction I wanted to beat the best team in the league.”

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The Exiles boss added: “I have a lot of time for the players at this club because believe me every single one of them cares about the club.

“It’s not a nice feeling when you lose and I’m as hurt as any other fan when we lose.

“The players knew the standards were way off on Saturday and I told them but they’ve still put in a phenomenal amount of effort over the season and it’s been a remarkable turnaround from where we were last season.”

Two wins from the final three matches will see the Exiles surpass the record points tally since the club returned to the Football League in 2013.

“You’re not always going to keep everyone happy, it’s the nature of the beast, but we’re happy,” said Flynn.

“There’s been some lovely comments from Martin Allen and John Coleman this week who I have a lot of time for, that’ll do for me. They understand what progression is and we’ve certainly progressed.

“We saw that [on Tuesday] and if we can progress again next season we’ll get closer and closer to the play-offs.”