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Bring On The Big Guns Says Newport County Manager

Rodney Parade, home of the Dragons. Pic: Alamy

Rodney Parade, home of the Dragons. Pic: Alamy

Joss Labadie led Newport County into the FA Cup third round and sparked dreams of a match-up with Premier League opposition. Newport’s captain scored both goals in a 2-0 win against fellow League Two club Cambridge United at Rodney Parade. Labadie scored from Matthew Dolan’s cross during the first two minutes then volleyed a second […]

Joss Labadie led Newport County into the FA Cup third round and sparked dreams of a match-up with Premier League opposition.

Newport’s captain scored both goals in a 2-0 win against fellow League Two club Cambridge United at Rodney Parade.

Labadie scored from Matthew Dolan’s cross during the first two minutes then volleyed a second from Frank Nouble’s cross.

Newport’s only third round appearance in more than 30 years was two seasons ago when they were beaten by Blackburn Rovers, but they are in Monday’s third round draw which will be live on BBC Two (7pm).

Cardiff City and Swansea City both come into the competition at this stage.

“Being a Liverpool fan I’d have to say I’d like Liverpool, but any of the big clubs, Manchester United, Arsenal, even somebody like Newcastle would be big for us,” said manager Michael Flynn.

“I’m not sure I’d like to go to Manchester City at the moment if I’m totally honest!

“I’m going to have to have my sensible head on and say that I’d rather be away because it would be worth so much more for the football club and that’s what’s more important to me.”

Cambridge pushed forward after falling a goal down and Uche Ikpeazu thought he had equalised only for Ben White to clear his shot off the line.

“I don’t ever tell the players to sit back and the first 10 minutes of the second half we were too deep for my liking,” said Flynn.

“As soon as they took that on board and started pushing up the pitch and making the right decisions, we could have scored a few more goals.”

Newport County: Day, White, O’Brien, Demetriou, Pipe, Labadie (Rigg 84), Dolan (Willmott 77), Tozer, Butler, McCoulsky (Amond 64), Nouble. Subs not use: Reynolds, Foulston, Owen-Evans, Bittner.

Cambridge United: Forde, Halliday, Taylor, Legge, Carroll, Brown, O’Neil, Elito, Dunk (Amoo 65), Ibehre (Azeez 65), Ikpeazu

Subs not used: Mingoia, Taft, Mitov, Maris, Lewis

Referee: Kevin Johnson

Attendance: 2,748

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