MICHAEL Flynn’s team selection suggested that Newport County AFC want to concentrate on League Two but the deputies claimed another cup scalp against Ipswich Town.

The manager changed his entire starting line-up at Portman Road after the season was started with victory at Oldham Athletic.

However, the new boys impressed to beat the League One Tractor Boys thanks to Timmy Abraham’s neat early finish in the Carabao Cup.

The night began with the announcement that County legend Padraig Amond has left for Exeter City but the young Fulham loanee produced a finish that the poacher supreme would appreciate.

County struck after four minutes and held on to earn a place in Wednesday night’s draw for the second round despite plenty of pressing by the Tractor Boys, whose finishing was a little wild.

South Wales Argus:

The win earns the chance to face another big gun but it also displayed some welcome depth in the Exiles’ squad with players taking their chance to put the heat on last Saturday’s starters, with experienced centre-back James Clarke steering the ship impressively and midfielder Christopher Missilou showing energy galore on debut.

Last season County beat Swansea and Watford of the Championship before being beaten by Premier League Newcastle on penalties in the third round of the competition.

The chances of another cup scalp – and it would have been a scalp even if Ipswich are only one tier above the Exiles – looked slim when the teams were announced.

Flynn changed his entire side from the League Two opener at Oldham with Clarke, Timmy Abraham and goalscorer Kevin Ellison starting after coming off the bench at Boundary Park.

Substitutes Ed Upson and Lewis Collins were the only other ones that doubled up as the coaching staff, no doubt mindful of a tough month on the road because of Rodney Parade pitch work, looked towards Mansfield on Saturday.

Clarke captained the side and formed a central defensive partnership with young Joe Woodiwiss with Louie Hall and Aaron Lewis full-backs in a flat four in front of goalkeeper Nick Townsend.

Opportunity knocked for midfielders Finn Azaz, on loan from Aston Villa, and his fellow summer arrival Missilou.

Alongside them was Aneurin Livermore, who was impressive in the EFL Trophy loss at Plymouth last season, while Ellison, Abraham and Jordan Greenidge provided the attacking threat.

Four players – Hall, Azaz, Missilou and Greenidge – made their County debuts while midfielder Jack Karadogan was hoping for a first outing from the bench, where he was joined by fellow youngsters Sonny Lewis, Ryan Hillier and Evan Ovendale.

Alongside them in the dugout was forward Dom Telford, the January signing who has found himself down the pecking order like Amond.

The team news gave the fixture the feel of the EFL Trophy but this was a chance for players to give Flynn and Wayne Hatswell a nudge, maybe not to earn a spot for Field Mill but beyond that.

Ipswich also rang the changes from their opening day draw with Morecambe – what might have been were it not for Bobby Madley at Wembley – and rested County old boy and Wales international Lee Evans.

The start was manic with Armando Dobra weaving through and then hitting the outside of the left post before County opened the scoring.

Ellison took a quick free-kick to Azaz, who drilled in a cross from the left that was deftly flicked in by Abraham.

Ipswich almost responded immediately only for Idris El Mizouni to fire straight at Townsend and then head over.

It was an open game with Greenidge, who was proving to be a real handful as the focal point, and then Town’s Sone Aluko failing to take chances to hit the target.

Ipswich were close to levelling on the half hour when a corner fell to Macauley Bonne but he slammed a shot against the outside of Townsend’s left post from a tight angle.

The striker then failed to hit the target with a header when well-placed after good work down the right, where Town were having joy, by Janoi Donacien.

The Exiles held onto their one-goal advantage at the break and were a touch fortunate to hold onto it after the resumption with Louie Barry blazing over when well-placed before Bonne headed home only to then see the offside flag go up.

The play was exclusively towards the Sir Bobby Robson Stand but County passed the hour with their lead intact.

It took a magnificent save by Townsend to keep it that way when Dobra smashed an effort towards the top right corner, that just minutes after the home end had questioned the physique of the stopper.

County had their first attacking moment after 66 minutes and it was nearly a second, defender Corrie Ndaba slicing straight to his keeper Tomas Holy from sub Collins’ cross.

It should have been level after 71 minutes but Dobra fluffed his lines from close range before Lewis produced an acrobatic clearance on the line to deny Kayden Jackson.

However, Ipswich had to finish the game down to 10 men after James Norwood was forced off injured after all three subs had been made.

That stalled the Tractor Boys’ charge and the Exiles, with Upson adding composure and discipline, progressed thanks to their second successive clean sheet of the season.

Ipswich: Holy, Woolfenden, Barry, Dobra, Ndaba, Mizouni, Bonne, Aluko, Humphreys, Clements, Donacien (captain).
Subs: Hladky, Norwood, Fraser, Jackson, Armin, Ward, Alexander.
Yellow: Aluko

County: Townsend, Lewis, Clarke (captain), Woodiwiss, Hall, Missilou, Livermore (Upson 53), Azaz (Collins 63), Ellison, Abraham, Greenidge.
Subs: Ovendale, Karadogan, Lewis, Collins, Hillier, Telford.
Yellow: Livermore, Collins
Goal: Abraham

Referee: Neil Hair
Attendance: 6,154 (131 away)