MICHAEL Flynn bemoaned Newport County AFC’s lack of a killer instinct after having to settle for a draw in their League Two opener at Scunthorpe United.

The Exiles were good value for their 1-0 half-time lead at Glanford Park after dominating and going ahead through Ryan Taylor, who got the final touch on Tristan Abrahams’ goal-bound effort.

However, they started the second half sloppily and were pegged back by a tremendous long-range hit by Iron striker Ryan Loft.

MATCH REPORT: Scunthorpe 1 County 1

The Exiles finished strongly and Kyle Howkins should have secured the spoils only to head down and over from close-range before another corner was then scrambled clear by Scunthorpe.

It meant that manager Flynn had mixed emotions after getting up and running with a hard-earned point rather than three.

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“It was two points dropped. In the first half we definitely should have scored a few more then in the second half we were really slow starting.

“That was frustrating but we looked the better team in the last 20 minutes and created a few chances.

“On a different day Kyle scores two and we should have had a penalty as well; we definitely should have won the game but we come away from a long trip with a point.

“We have just got to get that finishing touch and a killer instinct. On a different day we’d have come away with three points and everybody is cheering.

First half we were very good and deserved to be more than one up, but we’ve got a point and we’ll dust ourselves down to go again.”

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County were disrupted by the half-time departure of defender Matty Dolan, who Flynn expects to miss Tuesday’s Carabao Cup clash with Cambridge at Rodney Parade.

“It’s no excuse. After doing alright for the first five minutes of the second half we were nowhere near for 20 minutes,” said the boss.

“We didn’t win the first ball, we didn’t win the second ball, our passing was sloppy, our decision-making was sloppy.

“The boys know that and said it themselves in the changing room. They are an honest group.

“But we finished the game positively and should have nicked it – I don’t know how Kyle missed. We’ll go again and we’ll try to get the result on Tuesday.

“Cambridge are a much-improved team and they had a great result (a 3-0 win against Carlisle), so we will need to be at it.”

Loft’s thumping effort is a goal of the season contender on opening weekend, although sloppy play gifted him possession and then the defence backed off to leave goalkeeper Nick Townsend with no chance.

“It’s a great strike but the thing I am disappointed with is how much space he had. That’s what I can work on and get the players to look at, but the strike itself was great,” said Flynn.