A MATT Godden hat-trick saw Stevenage beat Newport County AFC 3-1 at the Lamex Stadium yesterday. Goalkeeper Joe Day's error was to blame for the second and Dan Butler conceded a penalty for the third before the substitute scored a late consolation. Here's what we learned...
1. Day to forget and move on
It was a bad error from Joe Day and probably the moment that the game was lost but goalkeeper is one position that County will find it hard to strengthen this month.
Day has been one of the Exiles’ better performers in a season to forget and it’s vital that he puts the mistake out of his mind as quickly as possible.
2. Scot Bennett is not a left-back
It’s always difficult to work out who’s playing where when the County team sheet comes in these days but it’s fair to say that nobody expected to see the captain at left-back.
Bennett didn’t play particularly poorly but he didn’t look comfortable on the left and is surely better utilised in the middle of defence.
3. Dan Butler made his point
The left-back was called into action after just three minutes when Jennison Myrie-Williams was forced off with an injury and, despite conceding what looked a soft penalty, he performed well.
Butler was playing on the left of midfield and was one of the few bright sparks for County. His goal was fully deserved and he’s due another crack at left-back.
4. Westley sees David Pipe as a right-back
Much of the pre-match talk surrounded the impact that the former captain would make and where he would feature in the starting XI.
Rather than use the 33-year-old as a defensive midfielder, Graham Westley opted to install him at right-back and that allowed Jazzi Barnum-Bobb the freedom to get forward from the right of midfield.
5. O’Brien and Nelson in at the deep end
It was a big ask for the two new signings to form an immediate understanding in central defence, especially with Pipe also drafted in at right-back and Bennett playing out of position on the left.
Mark O’Brien, aged 24, and 21-year-old Sid Nelson (above) may well come good in time and both showed promise yesterday but they may have been more comfortable alongside the experience of Darren Jones or Abdoulaye Meite.
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