Josh March happy to repay faith shown in him by Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver with another goal

But, that call was proved fully justified in the end, with the man who took his place in the starting line-up delivering a goal and the kind of all-action performance up top which the Sulphurites have become all-too-reliant on Muldoon for.

Josh March followed up his midweek strike from the substitutes' bench at Tranmere Rovers with a clinical 34th-minute finish to cancel out Jake Scrimshaw's early opener for the Exiles.

And the Forest Green Rovers loanee said he was thrilled to have been able to come through with the goods after his new boss placed his faith in him.

"I was pleased to get the nod from the start from the gaffer and happy to be able to re-pay him with a goal," the 23-year-old said.

"I'm pleased with how this week has gone. It was nice to get the first one and get off the mark and then one brings two, so hopefully I can kick on now.

"It's good to get the three points and to get on the score-sheet is the cherry on the cake."

March profited from a fine leap and flick-on from strike partner Aaron Martin as he registered Harrogate's first goal on home soil in around 320 minutes of football, racing in behind the Newport defence before beating Nick Townsend with a confident finish.

Reflecting on his goal, he added: "To be fair, I felt like Azza was winning everything, especially first half, but I couldn't quite always read where the flicks were going.

"I always try to gamble, but it is just knowing where to run. Luckily I judged that one well and got through and I feel like I took it well.

"I never really have any doubts when I get in a position like that, I just concentrate on hitting the ball with good technique and trying to put it in the corners. If you don't hit the corners, you give the goalkeeper more chance to make a save."

It was Martin who would go on and decide Saturday's contest midway through the second period when he headed George Thomson's inviting left-wing corner home from six yards out as both of Weaver's front-two got their rewards for bright performances which saw them work their socks off throughout.

According to March, that kind of industry and endeavour is the least Harrogate supporters can expect to see from him between now and the end of the season.

"That's the bare minimum that I'll give for the team," he added.

"Even if I'm having a bad game and I'm not there technically, I'll always give 110 per cent."

Victory for 20th-placed Town moves them nine points clear of the League Two relegation zone ahead of next weekend's trip to Crawley.