Newport County 1 Harrogate Town 2: Simon Weaver hails 'dominant' Sulphurites display

Goals either side of half-time from George Thomson and Anthony O’Connor earned the Sulphurites their third victory in four League Two outings, lifting them to 15th place in the table.

And although they switched off to gift the Exiles a route back into the game just before the hour-mark, the visitors were able to hold out for what their manager felt was a “deserved” three points.

"There was a lot of gritty defending in the last 10 minutes but before that, I thought that at 2-0, we were in a dominant position because of a dominant display,” Weaver reflected.

"There was good passing, fluent forward movement and we caused them problems. The goal that we conceded obviously offered Newport an opportunity to get back into the game, and that’s when we had to show resilience at the end.

"It was hard work but the way we started, I looked at the clock and it was six minutes past three, and I thought ‘the lads have turned up’. We were taking charge on the ball, we made them chase the ball and it would have been a crying shame if we hadn’t gone into half-time at least 1-0 up.

"It was a case of good football up to the final third, but then let’s make that killer pass, killer final ball and get numbers into the box because it was enjoyment without actually nailing it.

"But when we got the second, that was a buzz for the team to get to that score-line.”

Town took the lead shortly before the interval, Matty Daly driving down the left and committing Newport defenders before spraying a pass inside to Thomson.

The Harrogate midfielder then took aim from 25 yards out, beating Nick Townsend with a well-struck low effort that left the home custodian rooted to the spot.

The lead was doubled on 52 minutes when Josh March met Thomson’s left-wing corner at the near post and cleverly flicked it across the face of goal for the onrushing O’Connor to nod in.

The Sulphurites would however hand County a route back into the match just six minutes later, Will Evans getting ahead of Kayne Ramsay at the back post to bundle home Lewis Payne’s low cross from the right.

But despite finding themselves under some intense pressure late on, Town managed to hold out.

On the goals his side scored, Weaver said: "It was a great strike from George Thomson and a really good move.

"The work ethic of James Daly led to both goals. There was that bit of enterprise and drive with the ball by Matty Daly, then that 25-yard pass to George Thomson, who did the rest.

"Whether it was deflected or not, I don’t really mind, it goes down as his goal in my book at the end of a really good move.

“It was very important, obviously, getting that second goal. And if we could have stayed at 2-0 for longer, and I know it’s an ‘if’, we may have gone on and won by a more convincing score-line.

“The set-piece goal is equally as rewarding because we work hard at that and it’s good for a centre-half to go up and get the final touch.”