HOMETOWN hero Michael Flynn admits it’s been a dream start for him as caretaker manager of Newport County AFC but he won’t be happy until the club he loves is safe from relegation.

Flynn made it two wins from two since replacing Graham Westley with a 1-0 victory at Morecambe on Tuesday night.

A second-half penalty from Ryan Bird sealed the three points and lifted County off the bottom of League Two but they are still seven points from safety.

Having beaten struggling Morecambe and Crewe Alexandra on the road, the Exiles now host play-off contenders Blackpool and Luton Town at Rodney Parade on Saturday and Tuesday respectively.

And Flynn knows there is plenty of hard work still to do and plenty more stress for him on the touchline.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better start and long may it continue because I want this club, which I love, to stay in the Football League,” he said.

“I’m trying to kick every football and clear every clearance and score every tap-in.

“It’s an absolute nightmare but it’s what I’ve prepared myself for and it’s what I want to do going forward.

“It’s a dream start but we’re not getting carried away,” he added.

“I did say it’s not impossible but it’s by no means easy and we’ve got tough games and tough challenges ahead of us.

“We’ve got to set targets and keep closing that gap game by game.

“I told the players I wanted to be off the bottom of the table and it happened.

“But we’ve got to keep climbing, keep fighting and keep believing.”

Flynn is delighted with the way the players have responded to him since he replaced Graham Westley following the 4-0 home defeat to Leyton Orient on March 4.

“After the Leyton Orient defeat it was a tough week for the club and the players were feeling hurt as well,” he said.

“We’ve worked on one or two things in training, tweaked the formation and the reaction I’ve had has been fantastic.

“I’ve just got them believing in themselves again and having the confidence to go and express themselves a little bit more.

“I think we’re playing with a little bit more freedom now, we’re creating more chances.

“But if they don’t start finishing them off they’re going to make me bald before the end of the season.”

Flynn hopes that his side continue to surprise opponents over the coming weeks.

“We’re not writing ourselves off but I hope a few more teams do write us off because we’ll keep fighting, we’ll keep surprising teams and keep getting results,” he said.

“It’s been a tough season on and off the pitch for the club with the sackings and everything else going on with the pitch.

“But we’re Newport County, we’re fighters and it’s something we’ll keep doing for as long as this club exists.”