Newport County boss taking the positives from Stevenage draw

County are still without a league win since October 19 and they remain 12th in the table, six points below seventh-placed Northampton with two games in hand.

But Jamille Matt’s 92nd-minute header halted a run of four successive defeats in League Two.

And, considering that he was missing eight players due to injury and illness and was forced into three more changes during the game, Flynn was relieved to rescue a point at the death.

He was also delighted to welcome back Mickey Demetriou from the start and Scot Bennett from the bench, despite neither being fully fit.

“I thought Mickey Demetriou was excellent in his first game back after 17 weeks and Benno came back in at half-time and he was solid,” said the Exiles boss.

“I didn’t want to risk them both, but I had to.

“Mickey has worked very hard and it was a massive psychological thing for him to come through the 90 minutes and know that his leg is solid.

“I didn’t want to give him 90 minutes,” he added. “I didn’t even want to play him, if I’m totally honest, but Ryan Inniss has gone down with mumps and I just hope nobody else goes down with it.

“It’s all sent to test us, but hopefully we’ll have Labs [captain Joss Labadie] back next weekend as well.”

Flynn was happy to see Matt claim his third goal of the season after a difficult start to the campaign and he was impressed by the impact made by teenage substitute Lewis Collins (below), who was sent on in favour of senior man Dominic Poleon.

“Jamma needed that goal,” said the manager. “It was weighing on his mind, so I’m delighted for him.

“He’s getting pulled and fouled quite often now and he’s not getting anything given so he deserved that.

“And I’m really pleased for Lewis. He’s got lots of ability and he’s got to keep focused and keep working hard day in and day out. If he does, he’ll have a career.”

Asked about Poleon’s lack of game-time, Flynn said: “He’s fit. I made the decision to change it and I think I made the right one, because Lewis came on and made a difference.”

Despite the failure to beat 23rd-placed Stevenage, the Rodney Parade crowd remained behind the team and Flynn praised the supporters for their backing.

“I thought the crowd were excellent,” he said. “They could have got frustrated but there was no moaning and groaning.

“They got behind the players and you saw the lift the players got when we scored the goal.

“Hopefully we can make them cheer a little bit more when we score a few more at home.”

The Exiles go to bottom club Morecambe next Saturday in their last fixture before Christmas.