NEWPORT County AFC manager James Rowberry admitted League Two leaders Forest Green Rovers showed their promotion credentials by stifling his side at the New Lawn.

The pacesetters continued their march towards the third tier with a 2-0 win courtesy of a Matty Stevens double.

County headed to Gloucestershire third in the table but slipped a pair of places after conceding a goal in either half to the striker, who closed to within one of Newport’s Dom Telford in the race for the golden boot.

It was an impressive display by Rovers and they would have won more comfortably were it not for several smart saves by Nick Townsend.

“They showed what they can do with and without the ball. They can mix it up, they can be direct and physical,” said Rowberry. "They are in the position they are in for a reason, and that’s credit to them.

“For us to get done off our own thrown-in with a counter-attack was disappointing but it happens and is one of those things.

“If you look at the chances that they had, they were from our turnovers. You can’t say that they opened us up.

“What I can say about my players is that they never gave up and that is one thing that is ingrained at this club, our endeavour and way of doing things won’t stop.”

South Wales Argus: County boss James RowberryCounty boss James Rowberry

County were not at their best on the ball with the wind and rain playing a huge part in that.

“It was hard because they stifled us really well. I don’t think people at home wouldn’t appreciate how tough the conditions were, they were up there with Morecambe away in the FA Cup,” said Rowberry.

“It was a difficult game to play and it was hard to supply the chances that we normally do; we weren’t as ruthless as we usually are in the final third with our passing, our final ball let us down and the conditions didn’t help that.”

County head to fourth-placed Northampton on Tuesday before a run of five games on the spin at Rodney Parade.

“What we have got to do is just dust ourselves down, I said to the lads that one thing I can’t fault them for is their attitude,” said the manager.

“They kept going and going until the final whistle. We can always draw on negatives but if I look at the positives then the lads gave their utmost and that pleased me a lot.”