Newport manager Michael Flynn praised his side’s battling qualities, following their gritty 1-0 win against Stevenage at the Lamex Stadium.

The match became a scrappy encounter following Tristan Abrahams’ early penalty, but the Exiles defended superbly throughout what was their second win in four days.

The result allowed them to remain behind League Two leaders Cambridge on goal difference and gave notice that Flynn’s men can grind out results when not at their best.

Flynn said: “It was a bit scrappy in the second half, if I’m honest, but they’re fighting with their lives and with everything they’ve got.

“They’re really having a go for their manager, you can see that.

“They’re strong, they can be strong, they’ve got some good players, but again I think we should kill the game off.”

On Abrahams’ winning spot kick – his seventh goal of the season – Flynn added: “He’s tucked it away, he’s confident and I thought him and Saikou [Janneh] were absolute pests tonight.

“They never gave their back five a minute’s break and they ran and ran and ran, but they set the tone as well.

“Tristan has got to aim to score as many as he can.

“We’ll set him a target of 10 and when he gets to 10, he goes to 15 – there’s no point in saying ‘I want to score 40’ and setting yourself unrealistic targets, he’s got to set realistic ones.

“It’s quite obvious, but don’t get carried away.”

After Danny Newton’s lob came back off the bar, Abrahams ultimately decided the game after eight minutes with a confidently-taken penalty after Liam Shephard had been fouled.

Newton was denied by Newport goalkeeper Nick Townsend with what was Stevenage’s only shot on target and the hosts have now gone four league games without a goal.

Manager Alex Revell said: “I’d say the first five or six minutes summed up the last few weeks, to be honest with you.

“We’ve gone through and hit the bar, missed the rebound and then conceded a penalty that there was no need to concede.

“From that point, against a team that’s obviously at the top of the table, it’s always going to be difficult, but what I will say is that I think we created more than enough chances in the game to at least draw it, if not win it.

“We had crosses, we had shots, real opportunities to get something from the game and we didn’t take them.

“They don’t give away soft goals, they defend at back with 30 seconds to go with everything they’ve got and on the flip side of it for us, you have to go in to score a goal in the same way they defended it.”