Newport boss bemoans lack of quality in defeat at Notts County

Newport head coach Graham Coughlan bemoaned his side’s performance in a 3-0 defeat at Notts County on another difficult night for the club.

Acknowledging his side came up against a quality outfit he questioned his players and their mentality.

“We came up against a real quality team, they possess a lot of quality that we don’t have, and it was a difficult night all round.

“One or two of our players didn’t show up, but overall, I was wanting more quality in the final third because we had some good chances when we won the ball back high up.

“But again, it’s the same old story, we are leaking goals, not good enough in defence, making too many mistakes and can’t keep clean sheets and that’s the disappointing part of it.

“They have the quality to punish you and they have punished quite a lot of teams here – if you make mistakes against good teams, they will hurt you.”

Fuming

Despite taking his tally into double figures for the season, Luke Williams insisted Notts County striker Macaulay Langstaff was still fuming with his performance.

The National League’s record goalscorer from last term scored two more in the Magpies’ – taking his tally to 11 for the campaign.

But Langstaff could have had a hat-trick late in the second half, only to be denied by a superb challenge by Matt Baker.

“I was so impressed with the quality and his work-rate,” Williams said on the striker’s display.

“I’m not surprised that the first words he said to me was that he was ‘fuming’ because he didn’t score a hat-trick – he said ‘I’m more disappointed that I didn’t score a hat-trick than I am happy that I scored two’ and that’s why he is a goalscoring machine.”

In a comfortable game which keeps Notts County within touching two points of leaders Stockport, Williams gave his assessment of how the game unfolded at Meadow Lane.

“It was a good display, very professional. It probably petered out in the end. We pretty much controlled the game until the end, it’s probably not as much fun for the fans but it was better for my blood pressure.”

The next challenge for the Magpies will see a reunion with Wrexham – the side that pipped Williams’ side to the National League title in an enthralling campaign in the fifth tier.

The Magpies boss expressed the importance of the fixture, but insisted the encounter would be more interesting for those outside of the two sides involved in the clash.

“We know it’s a huge game, but it’s probably a bigger game for everybody watching than both the teams involved – for the teams involved, all the games are huge.”