Hayden Mullins hails Newport County’s fighting spirit after dramatic late equaliser

Nation.Cymru staff/agencies

Newport County boss Hayden Mullins praised his side’s “character, grit and desire” after a last-minute equaliser rescued a 2-2 draw against Tranmere Rovers at Rodney Parade.

Shaquille Gwengwe struck his second goal of the game in the 90th minute as the Exiles fought back after conceding twice in five second-half minutes.

The result preserved Newport’s unbeaten home record in League Two this season following their 3-0 opening-day victory over Rochdale.

Mullins said: “The one thing I see in this team is good character, grit and desire to fight for the badge.

“At home we’ve got to make this a tough place to come and get three points and I think we’re starting to show that.

“I think our first-half performance was really good. We got the goal and we looked a threat. We were high energy and we really put Tranmere on the back foot for long periods of the game.

“We’ve got to be able to manage a game better and see it out and a little bit of complacency from us let them back in the game.

“But the character to come back was first class and, as a manager, when you see your team fighting like that you can’t have too many complaints.”

It was the second successive weekend in which Newport had shown their ability to fight back, having recovered from 3-1 and 4-2 down before eventually losing 5-3 at Bristol Rovers.

Gwengwe put the Exiles ahead after 11 minutes, directing a looping header from a tight angle off the crossbar and in via Tranmere defender Bobby Faulkner.

Newport goalkeeper Jordan Wright then produced impressive saves to deny Will Vaulks and Tom Ince before the break.

The visitors turned the game around after half-time, however.

Outpaced

Joel Senior outpaced Newport substitute Dan Sassi before crossing for Zane Okoro to equalise with a near-post finish in the 71st minute.

Four minutes later, substitute Dylan Jones poked home a loose ball at the far post to put Tranmere 2-1 ahead.

Newport refused to accept defeat and Gwengwe hooked home from a long throw in the final minute to secure a point.

It was the striker’s fourth goal in three League Two appearances since his summer move from Poole Town.

‘Sickening’

Tranmere manager Darrell Clarke was left furious at the manner in which his side surrendered their advantage.

“It’s very much mixed emotions,” he said. “I’m raging with that first 45, if I’m honest and raging that we’ve conceded the [second] goal from a set-piece, which was probably their only opportunity of the second half. It’s two points chucked away.

“But, then again, on balance of play, they’d have thought they at least deserved a point after that first half because we were nowhere near good enough.

“They responded and we made some changes and looked in control, and then we chucked two points away at the end so it’s a really frustrating afternoon.

“We should be seeing that game out. The boys had earned the right to be in front and then to give that goal away at the end is sickening.”

Tranmere remain unbeaten in League Two, while Newport have now taken four points from their opening two home matches.

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