Flynn stands up for Demetriou after penalty miss

Posted Sunday, October 07, 2018 by PA

Newport boss Michael Flynn refused to point the finger at Mickey Demetriou after his horror miss from the penalty spot denied Newport victory at unbeaten Forest Green.

Demetriou hammered the ball out of the stadium from the spot on 65 minutes after Reuben Reid was adjudged to have handled, but Flynn jumped to his defence.

Flynn said: “With the penalty miss we’re frustrated. We all miss them, it happens. He’s brave enough to go up and take it so he’ll get no backlash from me for that.

“We’ve scored an own goal and missed a penalty, so I’m a little bit gutted, but I thought the players were excellent.

“It was a good game – there’s not many you kind of enjoy on the touchline, but there was some really good stuff played and I thought we were excellent, but we were just without that final little bit of quality.

“If we had that we would have won comfortably. I thought we were the better team and deserved the three points.”

Mark Cooper’s side nosed ahead on 18 minutes when Dayle Grubb’s driving run and shot cannoned off County’s Scot Bennett and beyond the flat-footed Joe Day for an own goal.

Newport found their range on 38 minutes – Padraig Amond poking in from a Robbie Wilmott cross as Rovers conceded their first goal at home in open play this season.

Carl Winchester and Reid hit the frame of the County goal before the latter’s handball gave Demetriou his chance – which he missed in spectacular fashion.

Forest Green remain in lofty company alongside Premier League trio Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool as the league’s only undefeated teams this season and Cooper paid tribute to his side after their eighth draw in 12 games.

Cooper said: “We didn’t do enough to win today but fair play to Newport, who are a good team.

“But we will take that – Portsmouth lost today so we are the only unbeaten team in the Football League, so hats off to my players.

“The game was too frantic and was end-to-end. Once we got in the final third the shot was wanting today, but I’m proud of the players, so I will give them that one – they have tried their socks off.

“We hit the post before their goal and we make a couple of mistakes for the goal, leave a man free for them to roll it in at the far post.”

Cooper berated the officials for Newport’s penalty, but he felt justice was served when Demetriou missed from the spot.

“I hate moaning about the officials, but Reuben has leant into the ball and it has clearly hit his chest or shoulder and gone out for a corner, but justice was done when they missed from the spot,” he said.

“The fourth official said it wasn’t a penalty. We haven’t lost the game but we are still talking about the referee.”