Michael Flynn ‘hates’ playing Newport County, even after dramatic first-day win with Cheltenham

Michael Flynn admitted he “hates playing against Newport County” after seeing his new club Cheltenham start the season with a thrilling 3-2 home victory over his former side.

The Robins boss enjoyed successful times with County as a player and manager and still lives in the area.

“I hated it today and I don’t like playing against Newport, I have never liked playing against them,” Flynn said.

“It’s only the last couple of years it has happened and they are a fantastic club with passionate fans and their fans were excellent today, I will say that, like ours were, but I don’t enjoy it.

“There are no winners because I have kids who support them as well. Obviously today they are supporting Cheltenham, but it’s tough for them and they are only young. Sometimes you have to explain: ‘You have to stick with daddy!’”

The Exiles looked set to stop the rot in League Two after finishing last season with eight successive defeats under manager Graham Coughlan.

Before Cardiff loanee Joel Colwill scored the winning goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time to seal Cheltenham’s first opening day league win for a decade.

Colwill had opened the scoring, with Liam Dulson adding a second, but Newport hit back to make it 2-2 before half-time through Courtney Baker-Richardson’s penalty and an Ollie Greaves strike.

“It showed the character and the fitness of the players to keep going and get the winner right at the end,” Flynn added. “In terms of that I’m delighted, but there is loads to improve on.”

Newport boss Nelson Jardim praised the 1,046 travelling fans and felt his side were unlucky to come away empty-handed.

“The first word is for the fans,” he said. “They were great today and we felt their energy.

“First 20 minutes we were really on top, maybe for five minutes we lost our way and conceded two.

“The second word is for the players, who showed a lot of commitment and character. Only a great group can come from a difference of two goals back to 2-2. I felt like now it’s very unfair that we lost the game.

“We should have won that game actually, taking into account the amount of goalscoring chances that we had.

“We have to take this, learn from it and move on. We were also unlucky, playing with 10 at the end due to an injury (to Hamzad Kargbo) after we had made all our substitutions.”