THINGS can only get better for Newport County AFC after they started their League Two campaign with a dispiriting 3-0 defeat at Cambridge United.

Striker Barry Corr struck in either half for the hosts and substitute Robbie Simpson added a third at the death to condemn Terry Butcher’s new-look side to defeat.

Medy Elito wasted a golden opportunity to get his side back into the game as his penalty was saved at 2-0 but the Exiles were well beaten.

Butcher handed competitive debuts to seven players with the most surprising being young Aaron Hayden lining up alongside Kevin Feely in central defence.

Hayden, aged 18, only arrived on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday afternoon and Feely missed the entire pre-season programme through injury.

With left-back Scott Barrow and right-back Danny Holmes also making their League Two bows for the Exiles an understandable lack of defensive cohesion definitely showed in the first half.

And goalkeeper Joe Day, picked ahead of new signing Rhys Taylor, got off to a shaky start as well as he looked to have fumbled a Leon Legge effort over the goal line in only the third minute.

The Exiles got away with that one as the officials inexplicably waved play on – leading to the home fans booing the referee within the opening three minutes of the new season.

But Butcher’s boys had trouble defending set-pieces throughout the opening period and it was no surprise when Corr found space and found the back of the net after 24 minutes.

The pace and power of Jordan Slew also posed plenty of questions to the new-look County back line but there were positives in attack.

Elito and Lennel John-Lewis linked up well and Yan Klukowski twice went close to leveling.

The midfielder, one of the old faces in the County starting XI, saw a fierce drive well saved by home ‘keeper Sam Beasant five minutes before the break and another effort blocked by Legge just after the interval.

The subs bench had an average age of 19 so there was little experience for Butcher to turn to in an attempt to change the game.

He threw on Aaron Collins for John-Lewis but it was soon 2-0 in unfortunate circumstances.

Alex Rodman was down injured and played Corr onside from Slew’s through ball and the striker, signed from Southend United this summer, confidently found the top corner to seemingly end the contest on 65 minutes.

But Tom Owen-Evans replaced the injured Rodman and played Scott Boden in with a lovely ball.

Harrison Dunk was adjudged to have hauled the striker down in the box but Elito’s penalty was saved by Beasant to sum up the visitors’ day.

And Cambridge sub Simpson rubbed salt in the wounds ten minutes from time with a crisply struck third into the bottom corner.

Cambridge: Beasant, Roberts, Legge, Coulson, Dunk, Keane (Morrissey, 67), Donaldson (Berry, 46), Hughes, Newton, Slew (Simpson, 77), Corr

Subs not used: Dunn, Omozusi, Chiedozie, Taft

Booked: Dunk

County: Day, Barrow, Feely (Poole, 82), Hayden, Holmes, Elito, Klukowski, Byrne, Rodman (Owen-Evans, 67), Boden, John-Lewis (Collins, 60)

Subs not used: Taylor, Twumasi, Parselle, Bamford

Booked: Hayden, Feely

Referee: Darren Handley

Attendance: 5,031 (331 County)

Argus star man: John-Lewis