NEWPORT County AFC manager Terry Butcher praised his players for a professional performance as they earned a 3-1 win at Torquay United this afternoon.

Two goals from latest signing Scott Boden on his debut and a free-kick from Scott Barrow clipped the Gulls wings as County shook off the disappointment of Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat at Bath City.

The Exiles were much improved at Plainmoor and Butcher put that down to a lighter training schedule at the end of the week.

“I think the players were pleased that they had a quiet Thursday and Friday rather than a heavy Monday as they did before the Bath game and it showed as well,” he said.

“I wasn’t worried about the Bath performance in many ways because the players were tired and it is pre-season, and Bath were very good.

“I thought the lads were great today. It was a very professional performance.”

Barrow opened the scoring with a free-kick in the third minute before Angus McDonald levelled on 21 minutes when his shot was deflected past Joe Day by the boot of Regan Poole.

But Boden’s brace either side of the break saw Butcher’s boys bag their third win of pre-season ahead of Tuesday’s trip to National League side Eastleigh.

“We got a good start with Scotty Barrow’s goal, got pegged back a bit with the deflection for the equaliser, but I thought we came good after that,” said the Exiles boss.

“There was a spell where we couldn’t get hold of the ball when they scored but then after that we finished the first half particularly well.

“We made some great chances and we could have three, four or five up but it wasn’t to be.

“We said at half-time that we must start the second half well, which we did.

“And then we got the third goal, which was a cracker – probably the best of the game.

“After that we huffed and puffed a bit and so did they.

“They sent on bigger man after bigger man and it was like land of the giants in the end but the boys held [on] well.

“It was a good physical contest for them, which they came through well, and obviously on the football front I felt we did really well too.”