NEWPORT County AFC lost their first match under new manager Graham Westley after a late Dan Butler own goal gave Yeovil Town the three points at Huish Park.

The result was harsh on the Exiles but it means they remain rooted to the bottom of Sky Bet League Two with just one win all season.

Westley made three changes to the County side that started the stalemate with Colchester seven days previously.

Marlon Jackson, Sean Rigg and Josh Sheehan came in for Rhys Healey, Reece Grego-Cox and Paul Bignot – none of those three made the bench.

Mark Randall was also missing from the matchday squad through injury while County only had six substitutes.

In terms of County’s formation, Westley played Jennison Myrie-Williams up top alongside Jackson, with Jon Parkin in a deeper role behind the front two.

That meant Rigg took his place on the left-hand side of a three-man midfield which also featured Sheehan and Ben Tozer.

County made a relatively positive start to proceedings, forcing several corners in the opening quarter and limiting their hosts to no real clear-cut chances.

The Glovers, however, did have the first sight on goal when Otis Khan swivelled and shot from 10 yards but a deflection off a defender saw the ball go just wide.

Westley’s charges hit back and Dan Butler saw a close-range effort blocked, before skipper Scot Bennett couldn’t quite get on the end of a scuffed Parkin attempt.

After a promising start, the game rather petered out towards the break as the rain lashed down on Huish Park.

Both sides exhibited some rather erratic shooting, while the quality of the passing wasn’t that much better.

Yeovil probably had the edge in the second quarter and, despite Joe Day not having that much to do, County were allowing the hosts to get too many crosses in.

In fact, it was from one of those centres that Ryan Hedges forced Day to tip the ball over for a corner.

Other than that, neither keeper was really tested leading up to the half-time interval.

After experimenting with Parkin in the hole behind the strikers during the first period, Westley pushed the big man alongside Jackson in the second half.

And it was Parkin who created an excellent opening for Myrie-Williams on 53 minutes.

Myrie-Williams was found in plenty of space but after driving into the box he completely miscued to send the ball towards the corner flag.

County, through Ben Tozer, went closer when the midfielder slipped his marker, delivered a lovely cross for Bennett, but the captain couldn’t get his head over the ball enough to find the target.

A wicked cross by Nathan Smith at the other end nearly embarrassed Day, then Parkin was booked after slamming his fist on the turf in frustration in the direction of the referee having not been awarded a free-kick.

Sixty seconds later and Westley made his first change with Jordan Green replacing Myrie-Williams – and the substitute nearly made an instant impact.

Picking up the ball some 25 yards out, Green hit a vicious left-footed effort that whistled past the post.

An injury to Jackson saw Jack Compton come on to face his former club, while Glovers boss Darren Way tried to inject some pace into his team by introducing striker Francois Zoko.

In truth, the game had 0-0 written all over it, but that all changed with nine minutes left.

It wasn’t clear if Ryan Hedges’ ball into the box was on target or not but it found its way into Day’s net courtesy of Butler.

It was harsh on County as, while they perhaps didn’t do enough to warrant more than a point, they certainly deserved at least one.

As they pushed forward in search of an equaliser it was inevitable gaps would be left at the back, and Zoko had two chances to make the scoreline more emphatic but failed.

Yeovil: Krysiak, Smith, Dolan, Mugabi, Lacey, Dawson, Lawless, Khan, Campbell (Eaves 56), Hedges, Ward. Subs not used: Maddison, Dickson, Zoko, Ezewele, McLeod, Whitfield.

County: Day, Barnum-Bobb, Butler, Jones, Bennett, Tozer, Myrie-Williams (Green 65), Sheehan (Wood 86), Rigg, Parkin, Jackson (Compton 70). Subs not used: Bittner, Angel, Cameron.

Bookings: Parkin (dissent, 64)

Referee: Dean Whitestone

Attendance: 3,353 (including 439 County fans)