Newport boss bemoans points lost at Grimsby

Newport manager Graham Coughlan praised the mentality of his players after they fought back to draw 1-1 with Grimsby at Blundell Park.

After two straight SKy Bet League Two defeats, the Exiles added another point to their tally courtesy of a second-half equaliser from Priestly Farquharson.

On-loan striker John McAtee put Grimsby in front with a wonderful dipping volley shortly before half-time but Farquharson levelled upon the restart.

It was a result which preserved the two-point gap between the teams as Grimsby were held at home for the eighth time this season.

Coughlan said: “You know I would have liked to win that game 1-0 and I think we shot ourselves in the foot.

“But the character of this group and the resilience is second to none.

“I actually thought we were very good, we had chances and opportunities that we created and had two good chances in the first half.

“We need them to go in and to cut out the basic errors.

“If we do that, we are looking at a half-decent team and they are a decent group of boys. The work we are doing is paying off.”

Grimsby manager Paul Hurst added: “It was no surprise how the game went.

“We knew it would be a dog fight and it was an ugly game. I want us to be better, naturally, but the lads are trying and we do get on at them asking for more.

“It was a horrible game. We speak about making memories and we did that in the Southampton game, but anyone here will want to forget that one.

“We said at half-time that a clean sheet wins you the game.

“It was frustrating that we scored, admittedly a goal out of nothing, but then had little else in terms of chances and at the other end of that a set-piece.”