Joss Labadie scores winner for Newport in Walsall

It looked like the Exiles were going to once again lament missed opportunities at the Bescot Stadium before the midfielder broke the deadlock from close range in the 70th minute.

Labadie apologised to his teammates after a moment of petulance led to a red card in Oldham but he was the toast of the away changing room in the West Midlands after a superb box-to-box performance.

The skipper’s goal got his forwards out of jail after January recruits Nicky Maynard and Dom Telford had failed to take golden opportunities.

It was the only goal of the game as County held on despite late pressure from Walsall.

Victory lifted County above Exeter and Salford into sixth but it also provides the opportunity to change the tone of the year.

If they can back it up with a win against Stevenage in Newport on Saturday then suddenly things are looking more rosy.

Back-to-back successes, something the Exiles haven't managed since the start of December, can put them right back in the mix for promotion.

They will need to repeat the much-improved, disciplined performance from the Midlands with yielded three well-deserved points.

Flynn made two changes to his starting line-up with Matty Dolan and Scot Bennett, fresh from a three-match suspension, coming in for Anthony Hartigan and Jake Scrimshaw.

That meant going back to 3-5-2 with Dolan at the heart of the defence while Bennett’s return to midfield gave playmaker Josh Sheehan a bit more freedom and also allowed wing-backs Ryan Haynes and Liam Shephard to be forward-thinking.

It was Shephard who had the first sight of goal in the sixth minute after a well-worked corner but he missed his kick after a late run to the box.

Dolan was the first to test Liam Roberts with a 10th-minute free-kick but sadly the goalkeeper was more reliable than at Rodney Parade when he allowed a speculative Scott Twine long-range effort so slip in.

Walsall, just as they did in Newport, were looking dangerous on the counter-attack and that meant the Exiles had to be switched on both offensively and defensively from their set pieces.

County were on top with Shephard their biggest threat and he was the first man to really stress one of the keepers, but not with a shot.

A lovely passing move ended with him crossing from the right but getting his angle wrong and instead forcing Roberts to scramble clear at his near post.

County were shifting the ball nicely as the break approached, Sheehan gradually becoming more of an influence.

Yet the best opening of the half came from a Walsall error when Labadie intercepted and put Maynard in on goal.

The striker was forced to go it alone after last man Dan Scarr did well to deny a passing opportunity to partner Dom Telford and the shot, high to the near post, was kept out by Roberts.

County had a scare in injury time when Emmanuel Osadebe failed to control after a chipped ball through the middle but it was a solid half by the visitors, who looked the more likely to break the deadlock.

It should have been 1-0 to Flynn’s men two minutes after the restart when more fine work by Labadie led to Telford having a one-on-one only for the forward to scuff a shot straight at Roberts.

From a golden opportunity to a lucky escape.

Poor play by Sheehan in front of his defence gave Caolan Lavery a shooting chance but he couldn’t combine power with accuracy.

Telford was replaced by the fresh legs of Padraig Amond with half an hour left and it felt like one goal could be a winner.

It was County that struck in the 70th minute from the inspirational Labadie after a corner was worked short for Haynes.

His whipped delivery was struck against the bar by the captain – who somehow was unmarked because of an iffy defensive line – but thankfully he was able to nod in at the second attempt.

That gave County something to hold onto and Flynn let his players know it after lamenting costly errors in defeat to Forest Green.

“Ryan, if you dive again I’m taking you off,” the manager shouted at Haynes after he tried to buy a free-kick but only succeeded in conceding a corner.

Max Melbourne tested Nick Townsend for the first time after 83 minutes but his shot was straight at the stopper.

Saddlers sub Stuart Sinclair shot wide as the home side flung bodies forward with the clock ticking too slowly from a Newport perspective.

Walsall were going direct and getting desperate but thankfully there was no late drama.

Walsall: Roberts, Norman, Melbourne, Sadler (captain), Scarr, Lavery, Gordon, Bates, Osadebe, White, Vincent.
Substitutes: Rose, Sinclair, Osei-Yaw, McDonald, Leak, Perry, Reid.

County: Townsend, Farquharson, Dolan, Demetriou, Shephard, Haynes, Sheehan, Bennett, Labadie (captain, Hartigan 90), Maynard (Taylor 79), Telford (Amond 60).
Substitutes: King, Lewis, Gambin, Scrimshaw. 
Goal: Labadie

Referee: Sam Allison