Newport County 2, Portsmouth 3
Graham Westley stayed composed after his Exiles lost a two-goal lead and slipped to a damaging defeat.
Josh Sheehan, from a superbly-struck free-kick from 25 yards, and Rhys Healey fired Newport County into a commanding lead and with 10 minutes left they were still in front, but promotion-chasing Portsmouth headed home with all three points.
“I haven’t gone in and blasted the players at all,” said manager Westley. “It’s disappointing, but if you let your emotion take over you can get angry about losing the lead.
“I’m sure there were a lot of angry people leaving the ground thinking ‘how can you lose a two-goal lead?’ Well you can lose a lead if you make mistakes that cost you goals against a good quality outfit.”
“A big club like Portsmouth have strength in depth, they have that winning mentality and know what it’s all about to come back in certain situations.
“At 2-0 up we didn’t do the right things. We started playing with a spring in our step, didn’t track the runners and came second in tackles.
“If you start leaving the good habits that have put you ahead behind then you’re on the back foot and you lose the game.”
County have lost six of their last seven fixtures, two of those in the FA Cup, and have scored only four goals in that run. They have conceded 14, crashed out of the cup and are four points adrift at the bottom of League Two.
They are now at home against Exeter City on New Year’s Eve (3pm).
Sheehan (25) and Healey (51) put Newport 2-0 ahead and they looked capable of winning a crucial fixture. But former Exiles’ player Danny Rose pulled a goal back (56) with Enda Stevens (80) and Kei Naismith (87) completing Portsmouth’s victory.
First half confidence was replaced by nervous tremors in and around the Newport team after Rose scored the first Pompey goal.
The visitors were even able to miss a penalty – Naismith blasting a spot kick over the bar – and still emerged winners.
Newport had Sean Rigg back in their team after suspension, while midfield player Tom Owen-Evans returned after missing the FA Cup tie against Plymouth because he was cup-tied.
Marlon Jackson and Finlay Wood made way for the pair, while Abdoulaye Meite stepped in for the injured Joss Labadie.
That allowed Newport to operate a three-man unit in central defence comprising Meite, Darren Jones and Scott Bennett.
For almost an hour it worked, but Newport faltered and collapses as Portsmouth stepped up the pressure.
Westley, though, is intent on strengthening his squad in January and will take heart from the fact that more than half of their League fixtures are still in front of them.
Striker Healey will return to Cardiff City when his loan spell ends on January 2, but Westley will be aiming to fire up Newport hopes of survival in 2017.
County: Day, Barnum-Bobb, Jones, Meite (Green, 90), Bennett, Myrie-Williams, Owen-Evans (Jackson, 85), Tozer (Randall, 90), Sheehan, Rigg, Healey. Subs not used: Bittner, Bignot, Butler, O’Hanlon
Referee: Charles Breakspear (Surrey)
Attendance: 3,714 (729 away fans)
