CITY boss Steve Castle had no complaints regarding the defeat to Newport County on Saturday despite feeling the scoreline flattered the hosts. Newport deserved to take all three points with a second half display of clinical finishing and Castle held his h

CITY boss Steve Castle had no complaints regarding the defeat to Newport County on Saturday despite feeling the scoreline flattered the hosts.

Newport deserved to take all three points with a second half display of clinical finishing and Castle held his hands up and admitted the best team won.

"They're top of the table and they're top of the table for a reason," Castle told the Herts Advertiser afterwards.

"They're a very confident team, the lads are playing at the top of their game. The game's over 90 minutes, we got our heads down, we've got a very young team and sometimes when we're not getting the rub of the green, they've let it affect them. I've told them that they can't let it do that but it's human nature.

"It's disappointing, the five did flatter them but fair play to Dean (Holdsworth, Newport manager) and the players they've got here. They're a very competitive team and those players along with the ones they add I'll be amazed if they don't go up."

City made the trip to Wales with a very small squad and Castle says he always knew it would be tough to come away with some points.

"I'm probably putting a brave face on things, I'm realistic to know coming here (Newport) with a skeleton squad you're on a hiding to nothing and when you get one of your better players coming off in Pete Smith, whose been absolutely superb since he's come into this football club, you are very, very thin on the ground," added Castle.

"We've got James Quilter playing who needs to have a cartilage operation, we've got Mark Peters who's suspended - it sounds like I'm being a typical manager after losing and blaming other things but I've not really had many excuses. We got beaten by the better team, 5-0 was disappointing but if we can get ourselves back into winning ways it's only three points lost and if we can get ourselves a series of wins together who knows.