A MUCH-CHANGED Newport County AFC kicked off their Checkatrade Trophy campaign with a 1-0 loss to Swindon Town at the County Ground.

Substitute Michael Doughty got the winner from the penalty spot in the 77th minute of a group game that failed to spark.

County boss Michael Flynn made eight changes to his starting line-up after last Saturday’s 1-0 win against Oldham Athletic.

Captain for the night Dan Butler, Jamille Matt and Scot Bennett were the only players to keep their places following the victory at Boundary Park.

There were first starts of the season for Robbie Willmott, Mark O’Brien, Charlie Cooper and loanee Cameron Pring, who made his debut.

Antoine Semenyo returned after a spell on the sidelines due to concussion, and former Exiles defender Sid Nelson lined up for the hosts.

And it was the home side that started the better, with a poor pass from Butler being intercepted by Elijah Adebayo only for the defender to get back and block.

The first chance of the tie fell to the Robins but Keshi Anderson badly miscued his effort from close range having been found in oceans of space on the left.

County, who have Chelsea U21s and Plymouth Argyle still to play, belatedly got going and created three chances in the space of a few seconds.

Keanu Marsh-Brown had the first two which were blocked by Luke Woolfenden and Joe Romanski respectively, then Pring surged into the Town box but fired wide when well placed.

Despite their many chances, County, on the whole, looked reasonably solid, with wing-backs Tyler Forbes and Pring full of running.

But, not for the first time, Cooper was brushed off the ball by Ellis Iandolo and Romanski should have hit the target but he took far too long to let fly inside the box.

Cooper was involved again just after the half hour mark, on this occasion feeding Marsh-Brown whose shot from an acute angle struck a defender and went for a corner.

The uninspiring fare continued in the second half as both sides cancelled out each other.

In fact, it took until the 66th minute for something of note to happen, in this case a yellow card for O’Brien for hauling down Adebayo.

Then a sight of goal for the visitors, but Semenyo’s effort was blocked and Willmott and Matt were replaced by Tyreeq Bakinson and Josh Sheehan.

The hosts also made a double change soon after, and one of their two substitutes scored what proved to be the winning goal.

Doughty’s match-winner came from the spot after Bennett had hauled down Adebayo – referee Antony Coggins got the decision right but did make several poor calls during the 90 minutes.

Swindon: McCormick (capt), Romanski, Woolfenden, Nelson, Knoyle, Iandolo (Doughty 70), Dunne, Diagouraga, McGlashan, Anderson (Twine 70), Adebayo (Alzate 79). Subs not used: Henry, Smith, Pryce, Taylor.

County: Townsend, Pring, Butler (capt), Bennett, O’Brien, Forbes, Willmott (Bakinson 69), Marsh-Brown, Cooper, Semenyo, Matt (Sheehan 69). Subs not used: Day, Pipe, Dolan, Amond, Demetriou.

Referee: Antony Coggins

Attendance: 1,301

Argus star man: Tyler Forbes