Former Merthyr Town defender Cameron Pring made his debut for Newport County during their Checkatrade Trophy group match against Swindon Town away.
Pring, signed on loan from Bristol City, slotted in a left-back and did well against a strong Swindon team at the County Ground.
The home team won 1-0 thanks to a Michael Doughty goal from a second half penalty.
This was Pring’s first match of the season and Newport manager Michael Flynn: “Cameron did alright to be fair.
https://twitter.com/NewportCounty/status/1039228285501284352
“It’s hard coming up to speed with the pace of the game having not played so far this season so I thought he did really well.
“We got to see how quick he is during the first-half and he had a solid night.”
Flynn made eight changes from Newport’s starting line-up for the 1-0 win at Oldham on Saturday with Robbie Willmott playing his first minutes of the season after recovering from injury.
Pring made his debut and goalkeeper Nick Townsend took over from Joe Day, Charlie Cooper and Mark O’Brien both made their first starts of the season and Antoine Semenyo returned after being out with concussion problem.
Tyler Forbes and Keanu Marsh-Brown were back in the starting line-up, while captain Dan Butler, Jamille Matt and Scot Bennett were the three players who played against Oldham and Swindon.
The winner was scored when Bennett fouled Elijah Adebayo and substitute Doughty scored his fifth penalty goal of the season. He chipped the ball down the middle with goalkeeper Townsend diving to his left.
“There was nothing between the sides,” said Flynn. “It was a cheap penalty to give away if I’m honest, but it was good to get some minutes into a few of the boys.
“Overall, it was a decent performance and we conceded a soft penalty.”
Now Flynn and his players are focused on Saturday’s League Two home match against Yeovil Town at Rodney Parade (3pm).
Newport are level on points with Lincoln City at the top and they won’t worry too much about their defeat at Swindon.
Plymouth Argyle and Chelsea’s under-21 team are the other teams in the group and County play both of those teams at home. Chelsea visit South Wales on Tuesday, September 25, while Argyle are at Rodney Parade on Tuesday, November 13.
Willmott made a successful return to action after his hamstring injury and played for just over an hour.
“If wouldn’t have mattered if he’d have scored two goals or anything else, he was always going to come off after 65 minutes because we want to do right by the player,” said Flynn.
Fraser Franks was the only player from the starting line-up at Oldham to be given the night off with seven of his team-mates in Lancashire on the subs bench.
Flynn confirmed the centre-back was rested to make sure he is ready to face Yeovil, saying: “There are a few who are still stiff from Saturday. Fraser’s groin was sore and Padraig Amond was sore which was why I decided not to put him on at the end.
“I’m not prepared to risk injuries and it also then allowed me to give a few who haven’t played recently some minutes in their legs.”
Swindon Town (4-3-3): McCormick, Knoyle, Nelson, Woolfenden, Romanski, Diagouraga, Dunne, Iandolo (Doughty 71), McGlashan, Anderson (Twine 71), Adebayo (Alzate 79). Subs not used: Pryce, Henry, Smith, Taylor
Newport County AFC (3-4-1-2): Day, O’Brien, Bennett, Butler (capt), Pring, Forbes, Cooper, Willmott (Bakinson 69), Marsh-Brown, Matt (Sheehan 69), Semenyo. Subs not used: Day, Pipe, Dolan, Amond, Demetriou
Referee: Antony Coggins
Attendance: 1,301
