Christian Fuchs hails ‘resilient’ performance as Newport chip away at deficit

Newport manager Christian Fuchs praised his side for a battling display in their 0-0 draw with Barnet at Rodney Parade.

League Two’s bottom side dominated the first half and could have gone ahead as both Michael Spellman and Cameron Antwi saw shots cleared off the line, while Spellman was denied a penalty just before the break.

Mid-table Barnet had the better of the second-half chances, however, with County keeper Jordan Wright twice denying Nnamdi Ofoborh before Lee Ndlovu sent an overhead kick just over and substitute Callum Stead twice went close late on.

“I think in the first half we definitely played the better football,” said Fuchs. “I think we were the only team out there that looked a threat. We could have gone ahead.

“But I also liked to see our team under pressure in the second half and they stayed resilient. I never had the feeling that we would concede a goal.

“Overall, I think it’s a very good performance from the team. When you are in different areas in the table, more of those goals might fall [for you] and that would give us a bit more freedom. But the boys kept going, they kept fighting, the spirit in there is amazing and I’m happy with the clean sheet.”

The draw means County closed the gap to 23rd-placed Harrogate to three points and are now just four points from safety after Bristol Rovers let a 2-0 lead slip to lose 3-2 at home against Crawley.

“It’s something to build on, absolutely,” said Fuchs, who is still looking for his first win after seven games as Exiles boss.

“Every point right now is helping us. It is step by step. Three points would have been great but from the very first whistle to the last they showed the energy, they showed the fight and that’s a great performance in my eyes.”

Barnet are 13th in the table – 12 points above the drop zone and nine below the play-offs – as they approach the midway point of their first season back in the EFL.

Manager Dean Brennan was disappointed that his side could not convert their second-half chances into three points, but the draw at least halted a run of two successive defeats against Chesterfield and Salford before Christmas.

“It’s mixed emotions, really,” said the Bees boss, whose side have won only one of their last 10 games. “They probably had the better of the first half but we dominated after the break and should have won it in the end.

“We had the chances to take all three points but we’ll take the draw and move on.”