Newport manager Graham Coughlan hailed a “huge” three points for his side as they bounced back from defeat in midweek to beat Gillingham 1-0 at Rodney Parade.
Notts County ended the Exiles’ seven-match unbeaten run last Tuesday with a 3-1 win in Newport and Coughlan was delighted with his players’ reaction.
After a forgettable first half, Will Evans produced a stunning volley from Harry Charsley’s cross just after the hour-mark to beat fellow play-off hopefuls Gillingham.
“It was vitally important that we responded to Tuesday night’s game, we didn’t do ourselves justice against Notts County and were poor all-round,” said Coughlan.
“It was a big three points for players, staff and fans. It’s very difficult to ask players to play 43 games, as we have so far already in February, so I could understand it being dead and flat from both teams.
“We ask the same boys to keep going time and time again, but I said at half-time that if it was dour, make sure we came out with something. We came out with the victory and three points, and that’s huge.”
Coughlan praised the home fans for helping his side close out the game.
“I was shouting at the crowd today to give us a little bit of energy and a lift for the last 10 to 15 minutes because you could see that we needed it,” he said.
“They were brilliant and got us over the line, they cheered every clearance, started banging the drum and singing their songs. That energised us, so I have to praise the fans for what they did.”
Gills boss Stephen Clemence admitted that Evans’ goal was good enough to win any game.
“I never felt in trouble. I thought it had 0-0 written all over it,” he said. “But, to be fair to the lad, it’s a great finish.
“The boy delivered a sidewinder volley from the edge of the box, and it went in the top corner. If you get beaten by a goal like that, sometimes you just have to accept it.
“We had a moment ourselves where Timothee Dieng had a great effort, and their keeper made a great save.
“It was a very tight game between two teams with similar shapes,” added Clemence. “They’ve been in good form, and we knew we’d have to be up for the fight.
“They’re a very physical team and I thought we dealt with that well.
“But we just had one moment in the second half where they got the better of us and, unfortunately, we have to go home with no points.
“It’s very difficult to take, but we’ve got two home games coming up now and we have to get ready for them.”
Jonathan David names Barcelona as dream club amid Lille uncertainty
Jonathan David admits it is his dream to play for Barcelona as he prepares to enter the final six months of his Lille contract.
The Canada international is into his fifth season with the Ligue 1 side but is due to become a free agent at the end of the current campaign.
Lille have attempted to persuade David with a new deal, though he looks set to depart Stade Pierre-Mauroy in 2025 – potentially as early as January if a club is prepared to pay a transfer fee.
However, while the 24-year-old is seemingly open to a move to Barcelona, he suggested he would prefer to wait until the end of the campaign before taking the next step in his career.
"Going to a club midseason is never easy," he told The Athletic. "It's not like the beginning of a season where you have a pre-season, you get to know your team-mates, you have time to gel.
"In January, things are very hectic. It's about right now. It's tougher."
"[Barcelona] was always the team I grew up supporting. When you grow up supporting a team, it's your dream to play for them.
"Some people might say, 'Oh, he's staying at Lille, this is a downgrade, he's not getting better'. But for me, there's always opportunities to get better."
David has scored 13 goals in 19 games for Lille in all competitions this season, including goals against heavyweight sides Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus in the Champions League.
Including penalties, eight of those goals have been scored via his stronger right boot, four with his left and one with his head – an area the forward accepts he can still improve.
"Aerially, I can get better," he said. "Getting that header on target and scoring.
"I can get in good positions and win headers but the finishing touch, I'm still missing. With my back to goal, I can also get better."
David is averaging a goal every 112 minutes across all competitions this season, which compares to one every 139 minutes last season and 131 in 2022-23.
However, he still has some way to go to match the 18 goals scored in 27 league games for former club Gent in 2019-20.
"Things are good right now because I'm scoring goals," David said.
"But is this the best I've played in my life? Probably not. For me, it was my second year in Belgium. That was the season of my life."
Scotland 'never lost belief' to get Nations League lifeline, says Clarke
Steve Clarke says Scotland "never lost belief" as they secured a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Poland to give themselves a lifeline in the Nations League.
Scotland needed a win to avoid automatic relegation and finished third in Group A1. They now face a relegation play-off to defend their place in the top tier of the competition.
Scotland made a lightning-quick start in Warsaw as John McGinn, who was rewarded with a place in the starting line-up after scoring the winner against Croatia, cushioned in his 20th goal for the national team after just three minutes.
Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay both hit the woodwork as they attempted to double their lead before the break, while Craig Gordon produced some fine saves to protect their advantage.
Kamil Piatowski's stunning strike pulled Poland level just before the hour-mark, but Andy Robertson, on his 80th appearance, proved the difference, rising high to send a towering header past Lukasz Skorupski in the 93rd minute.
Robertson is the first player to score a 90th-minute winner for Scotland since McTominay against Israel in a World Cup qualifier in October 2021.
It is the first time since March-September 2023 (a run of five) that Scotland have won back-to-back internationals, and Clarke was delighted to finish the Nations League group stage on a high.
"A good way to end this Nations League campaign. You always believe. It was a very open game, a lot of chances," Clarke said.
"We always felt one more chance would come, maybe not from the source it actually came from, but it was a fantastic cross from John Souttar, who was outstanding defensively, and a great header from the captain.
"We started with three defeats, three narrow defeats, with good performances. The players didn't lose belief. I didn't lose belief in the players, and they end up taking seven points from the last three games, which gets us into the play-off.
"The more you play at this level, the better you get. The players never lost belief.
"There's been a lot of good moments over my five-and-a-half years, and this is just another step on the journey."
The draw for the Nations League play-offs will take place on Friday, with the ties to be played in March.
Pedri: 'Everything going well' with Barcelona contract talks
Pedri says "everything is going well" in the talks over a contract extension with Barcelona.
The youngster has played in all 13 of Barcelona's LaLiga matches this season, helping them to sit top of the pile, with 11 wins so far.
He has already proved key in their midfield, with none of his team-mates making more interceptions than him (eight, level with Pau Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal), while he has also scored three times.
Barcelona sporting director Deco has made no secret of his desire to sign the 21-year-old to a contract extension, and Pedri issued a promising update on the talks taking place.
"I'm very calm, my agents are handling it, I haven't had any news, everything is going well," he told Sport.
Pedri has suffered from hamstring injuries since 2021, after playing 73 matches for club and country in the 2020-21 season.
He missed a total of 25 games for Barcelona and Spain last season, including the semi-final and final of Euro 2024, having been forced off in the early stages of La Roja's quarter-final win over Germany.
However, his injury troubles look to be behind him this season, and he is hopeful he can stay settled in the Barcelona side.
"Physically, I feel good. I have consistency, which makes me enjoy football," he said. "It's a great start to the season and I hope it will continue for a long time.
"Both in the national team and in Barca, I feel comfortable. It is positional football.
"It [his injury issues] was given more airtime, perhaps because I was playing in important tournaments [for Spain] and at Barcelona, I didn't have that continuity.
"I'm working out my body. When you relapse, you look for solutions until you find the key. I have found what suits me well, and I have the continuity that I like."
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