NEWPORT County boss Terry Butcher blasted his side for an unacceptable display after they were beaten by Plymouth.

Though the Exiles only lost by a single goal, Butcher felt his side, for the first time this term, got exactly what they deserved.

“We weren’t good enough, nowhere near good enough and we didn’t come close to matching the standards we’ve set so far this season,” he said.

“We paid the price and had we got something at the end, it would have been a robbery job.

“We tried three systems because the first two didn’t work and at 1-0 we still felt we had an opportunity to get something out of the game, we had the opportunity, but our performance was well short. And I don’t know why that was.

“It’s so disappointing because we’ve been playing some good football and we didn’t do that. We were second best at everything.

“The result flattered us. It’s the most disappointed I’ve been. There was no response, like when there was after a poor first half display against Stevenage.

“I could have made five, six, or seven changes at half time, that’s how I felt. We looked lethargic and second best and Plymouth looked razor sharp. The goal was coming. Plymouth dominated the game and I have no complaints about the result.

“We never got our passing game going, we looked better at the end pushing forward, but left ourselves wide open to the counter.

“But Plymouth deserved it.”

Butcher isn’t concerned that the Exiles have slipped to the bottom of League Two and urged supporters to show patience with a new group.

“We’ve got injured players, not close to our full squad yet, it’s not our team as yet, we are using a lot of players who are inexperienced and a lot of players who are inexperienced playing with each other,” he said.

“We’ve got Matty Taylor and Alex Rodman to come back who will be very important for us and if all the players were available, I would be more concerned than I am now.

“There are players to come back in and we can improve.”

Butcher allayed fears about defender Danny Holmes, the latest in the County casualty ward after picking up a knock on Saturday.

“He’s alright, he’ll be fine, just a sore knee,” he said. “And no bookings either though I think that tells its own story.”

Butcher expects a big response from his players, beginning with the visit of League One Swindon on Tuesday in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

“I’ve told the players I’m willing to accept that as a one off,” he said.

“We’d been playing well, the bubble burst and we’ve got to play much better against Swindon and I’m sure we will.

“But there will be changes, as many as we are permitted to make by the JPT rules.

“Alex Rodman should be available, which will help us.”