Walsall boss Mat Sadler saw his team sweep aside struggling Newport 2-0 but only after a half-time pep talk and a TV show.
The visitors had scored eight goals in their previous two matches and the Saddlers manager admitted he was frustrated with his side’s first-half showing.
“Every game throws up a different challenge,” he admitted. “They played some really good football and we felt frustrated that we hadn’t got on top of the game in the way we wanted to but we adjusted and overcame that.
“For the first half-hour or 35 minutes we weren’t as aggressive as we should have been but I have to commend the opposition because I thought they passed the ball around and they made it a tough challenge. They have some really bright and athletic wide players so they can hurt you and we knew that.
“We showed a few clips on the TV at half-time about how we wanted to hurt them and be more aggressive. From the first whistle of the second half I think we were that. We got on top of the game and I thought there was only one worthy winner.
“Going towards our fans in the second half I always thought they were going to suck something in which they continue to do.”
Walsall almost made the perfect start when, straight from the kick-off, a long ball launched into the Newport area was headed on by Jamille Matt for leading scorer Nathan Lowe but he was crowded out by goalkeeper Nick Townsend and his defence.
But their best chance of the half came in the 44th minute when Taylor Allen’s corner picked out the unmarked Lowe only for him to guide his header wide from four yards.
Newport’s first effort of note came midway through the second half when Kieron Evans drilled a shot straight at keeper Tommy Simkin but it was Walsall who took the lead when Lowe fired home in the 73rd minute after Jack Earing’s cross had been headed into his path by Allen.
Townsend did well to palm away a fierce Ryan Stirk strike soon after before Lowe powered in his second deep in added time to wrap up the points.
Newport boss Nelson Jardim said: “It was a disappointing result because in terms of performance I thought we were the better team. I thought we deserved at least a point.
“We should be proud of the way we came away and played the way we did. We created a lot of goalscoring chances particularly in the first half when I thought we deserved to score at least one from the chances we had.
“In the two games before this we scored eight goals and we had chances. I didn’t think losing 2-0 was a fair result but that is football I guess.”
