James Rowberry reflected on a winning start as Newport boss and admitted: “I have a great base to build from.”

The Exiles were 3-1 Sky Bet League Two victors at Bristol Rovers in Rowberry’s first match at the helm of the south Wales side.

The visitors took a 27th-minute lead when Courtney Baker-Richardson converted a low Jake Cain cross and doubled the advantage through Dominic Telford’s 31st minute shot on the turn.

Brett Pitman gave Rovers hope with a superb volley in first-half added time but Telford got his second goal following a cross by substitute Finn Azaz just past the game’s hour mark.

A smiling Rowberry said: “It’s only one win and I certainly won’t be getting carried away.

“My backroom staff should take much of the credit for the result because they have been brilliant.

“This team is not built on sand. There is a really strong foundation already in place and all I have to do is develop it further.

“If I’m honest, the first half performance exceeded my expectations. Dom Telford is a great lad and was excellent today.

“Apart from a 15-minute spell in the second half when we didn’t pass the ball as we want to, I was really pleased.

“In a minute I will go and check my heart-rate! My first experience of being on the touchline as team manager is one I will learn from.

“Did I enjoy it? I’m not really sure because I was so in the moment. I certainly enjoyed the result.”

Asked if he would be celebrating his first win as boss, Rowberry added: “I have promised to be guest at a Newport and District Youth League event tonight, so it will be soft drinks only.”

Rovers boss Joey Barton said: “I have a fragile group of players low on confidence. No two performances are the same at the moment, which is really frustrating.

“The game looked to be going away from us when they were 2-0 up but Brett Pitman has scored one hell of a goal and I thought that would prove a big moment.

“We started the second half well and looked capable of equalising or even going on to win. Then more poor decision-making cost us the third goal.

“We are scratching around to get a settled back line, which makes things difficult.

“The team is a bit like musical chairs at the moment, with players coming in and then getting themselves suspended.

“We are a million miles from where we have to be and that can only be solved on the training ground.

“The players need to have a good long look at themselves because we have to be a lot more difficult to beat at our own stadium.”