Crewe Alexandra 1, Newport County 2
Mike Flynn is planning a great escape for Newport County.
It looks like an impossible dream with the Exiles adrift at the bottom of League Two, but Flynn has vowed do everything he can to save his home city club.
Newport’s win at Crewe was an ideal start and caretaker-manager Flynn said: “It’s a massive win. It lifts the whole place. You could see the smiles on the boys’ faces. The fans were exceptional.
“I said we had to fight and scrap and in the second-half, the boys were absolutely exceptional. I couldn’t be any happier.
“I told them at half-time what I told them before the game, that I believe in them. We’ve got to put the pressure on other teams now, we’ve got to drag them into it.”
Crewe went ahead when Callum Cooke scored after 22 minutes and the home team dominated before half-time.
But Flynn’s County are ready have a real go at saving themselves and they fought back with heart and intensity.
Dan Butler volleyed an equaliser and captain Joss Labadie scored the winner after 88 minutes.
Newport, who travel to play Morecambe on Tuesday, are still nine points from safety, but Flynn is out to defy the odds and retain their Football League status.
Newport-born Flynn has been appointed until the end of this season following the departure of Graham Westley and has had four separate playing spells at the club.
He was in the Newport team when they beat Wrexham at Wembley Stadium, clinching promotion to the Football League via the play-offs, and says: That was probably had my greatest football moment with this club.
“I don’t want to have my worst moment with the club at the end of the season, so I’ll be doing everything I can to make sure that doesn’t happen.
“I’m a realist, it’s a tall order, but I’m also very positive. If we keep closing the gap we’ll be within striking distance, and that’s where I want to be.
“I’ll make sure that the side going out there knows what it means to be playing in the shirt.
“The players have had some tough times this season but I need them to buy into what I want to do.
“I’m going to need the fans right behind me, which they have been all season, and every season.
“They know how important they are and the players need to play with a smile on their face and with 100 per cent commitment.”
Flynn made four changes to the Newport team from their 4-0 home defeat against Leyton Orient, recalling David Pipe, Tom Owen-Evans, Sean Rigg and Labadie.
Now they turn to the next test, against Morecambe away on Tuesday.
Crewe Alex: Garratt, Turton (Kirk 89), Ray, Nugent, Bakayogo, Cooke (Cooper 62), Jones, Bingham, Wintle, Bowery, Kiwomya (Ainley 79). Subs not used: Ng, Dale, Dawber, Finney.
Newport County: Day, Pipe (Barnum-Bobb 71), Nelson, O’Brien, Butler, Samuel (Gordon 85), Bennett, Labadie, Owen-Evans, Rigg (Demetriou 51), Bird. Subs not used: Reid, Jackson, Bittner, Williams.
Referee: Mark Haywood
Attendance: 3,725