Northampton Town 1 Newport County 0: Exiles' away-day blues

Former Brazil and AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato was in attendance at Sixfields as he moves closer to a takeover of the Cobblers, but there was precious little Latin flair on display in a dour game.

Just as it looked like County would take a point back to Newport after a forgettable afternoon, the home side snatched all three with an 87th-minute winner to secure their first victory since February 10 - a run of 23 games.

It means the Exiles have lost all three away games in League Two this season after previous defeats at Bristol Rovers and Salford City and have now gone four without a win since their opening-day victory over Rochdale.

Hayden Mullins' men, who failed to find the net for the first time under the new manager, slip to 20th in the table with four points from five matches so far.

Mullins had attempted to shake things up after the 90th-minute defeat at Salford on Tuesday as he made three changes to his starting XI.

Deadline-day loan signing Matty Jacob made his debut in place of Alfie Merritt at left-back, while Matt Dibley-Dias replaced Cameron Evans in central midfield and Kieron Evans came in for Joe Thomas.

Kieron Evans started out wide on the left ahead of wingers Tanatswa Nyakuhwa and Michael Adu-Poku, who both arrived on loan on Tuesday.

County academy graduate Lee Evans did not feature for the hosts after he was sent off against Crawley Town on Tuesday, but former Exiles loanee Nathan Opoku started up front after he opened his Cobblers account with a goal in midweek.

With Christian Doidge not even fit enough for a place on the bench, top scorer Shaquille Gwengwe continued to lead the line for Mullins' men.

But, just as at Salford, he found opportunities to add to his four goals so far this season very hard to come by.

County goalkeeper Jordan Wright did deny Harvey Saunders in the sixth minute before Tyrese Fornah missed the target from the corner.

But neither side managed to create anything else of note in a lacklustre first half.

Lee Jenkins headed wide from a Cameron Norman cross midway through the first period and Northampton's Joe O'Brien-Whitmarsh failed to test Wright with a right-footed effort from distance shortly afterwards.

County's first attempt on target came six minutes into the second half when Harrison Biggins crossed for Yahya Bamba, whose right-footed shot from the centre of the box was saved by Zach Jeacock.

Saunders then sent a header wide from a corner at the other end and Logan Briggs had an effort blocked as the game threatened to open up.

Mullins sent on Nyakuhwa in place of Kieron Evans and, after Biggins saw long-range shot blocked, Thomas replaced Jacob with 20 minutes left to play.

Opoku had a chance to break the deadlock five minutes later with a header from six yards out, but it was straight at Wright.

Watford winger Adu-Poku was handed his debut off the bench as he replaced Bamba in the 83rd minute, when Ged Garner and Cameron Evans also came on for Gwengwe and Dibley-Dias.

And four minutes later it was Cameron Evans who gave the ball away, allowing Joe O'Brien Whitmarsh to find the bottom corner with a left-footed shot from the centre of the box.

Substitute Matty Warhurst almost doubled the hosts' lead in the 90th minute but he was denied by Wright.

In the end, however, one goal was enough to condemn County to another defeat on the road.

Northampton (4-4-2): Z Jeacock; J Wormleighton, E Moore, J Guthrie, J Maxwell; C Lemonleigh-Evans (L Briggs, 55), J O'Bien-Whitmarsh, T Fornah, S Chambers (M Warhurst, 55); H Saunders (S Hoskins, 79), N Opoku (O Dale, 79)

Substitutes not used: R Fitzsimons, M Dyche, J Powell

Booked: M Warhurst, J Wormleighton, L Briggs

County (4-2-3-1): J Wright; C Norman, L Jenkins, K Cameron, M Jacob (J Thomas, 70); M Dibley-Dias (C Evans, 83), C Brennan; Y Bamba (M Adu-Poku, 83), H Biggins, K Evans (T Nyakuhwa, 64); S Gwengwe (G Garner, 83)

Substitutes not used: J Turner, D Sassi

Booked: M Dibley-Dias, C Evans

Referee: A Young

Attendance: 5,546