Graham Coughlan: Newport’s defensive deficiencies are ‘irritating’

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Against Walsall, Graham Coughlan was in charge of Newport County for 12 months

Newport County manager Graham Coughlan says he is irritated by his side’s defensive errors this season.

County were denied a much-needed win in League Two as Walsall came back to secure a late 3-3 draw at Rodney Parade.

Coughlan’s side had led three times in the game, but Freddie Draper took advantage of defensive errors to score a hat-trick.

“Our defensive deficiencies are really irritating me at the moment,” Coughlan said.

“I think you can look back at every goal we’ve conceded this season and they’ve come down to individual mistakes.”

“Whether that’s because we’re getting nervous, whether we’re getting nervous, or whether we’re feeling a little pressure,

“Yes, they are young boys, but that is no excuse for conceding the goals we concede.”

“It’s been a problem getting a pairing in the centre-back team – we don’t seem to be getting any continuity in the centre-back team.”

“We can play freely and score, are really good on offense and score points in every game.”

“But we definitely have to get better defensively.”

Newport have won just once in nine league games and sit 19th in the table, five points above the relegation zone.

“We can’t start wallowing in it – we need to roll up our sleeves and dig in,” Coughlan said.

“But I expect better and I expect better from the players. It is a catalog of errors that haunts us.”

Coughlan’s frustration was compounded by the fact he had tried to sign Draper, Walsall’s hat-trick hero, in the summer.

Draper, 19, is on a season-long loan from Lincoln City after a successful spell with Irish club Drogheda United last season, where he scored eight goals in 21 appearances.

“We’ve spoken to Freddie, he’s obviously had a good time in the League of Ireland,” Coughlan said.

“It’s really heartbreaking when you chase these players and they decide to go somewhere else and then come back and chase you.”

“It’s difficult at the moment.”