Newport County: Graham Coughlan stays patient in search for a striker

Will Evans is Newport's leading scorer this season having scored four times in their last three games

Newport County boss Graham Coughlan has asked for patience as he looks to sign a striker before the transfer window closes on 1 September.

He is also assessing preparation for away trips after Tuesday night's 4-2 League Two defeat at Crewe.

Coughlan has been frustrated in his quest to pep up his forward options with a new recruit this week.

"I lost a striker to a League One club, so that is disappointing, but that has been the story of my chase," he said.

"Something will come but I want it to be the right one. I have had two or three that have gone higher so I think I am fishing in the right pond.

"Hopefully we will have a bit of good news but the striker may not be this week, may not be next week, it might be late on. But I will definitely be bringing in a striker when the right one comes along."

Coughlan hopes to add an experienced player to his squad having been without Omar Bogle - who scored 19 goals in 2022-23 - so far this season because of injury.

Former Bala player Will Evans has made an impressive start to the campaign, scoring four goals, while teenager Sebastian Palmer-Houlden has found the target twice after joining on loan from Bristol City.

Kiban Rai, 18, is Newport's only other forward option at present with Offrande Zanzala on the long-term injury list.

"I would like someone seasoned," Coughlan added.

"I would like someone who has been there done that and got the T-shirt. But that might be out of my remit, my reach, financially."

Coughlan's immediate concern was the collapse of his side at Crewe, where they conceded three second-half goals having been level at the break.

Newport went into the game on the back of home wins over Charlton Athletic, in the Carabao Cup, and Doncaster.

But after a heavy opening-day defeat at Accrington Stanley, the Exiles have conceded seven goals in two games on the road.

As he prepares his team for a trip to Forest Green Rovers this Saturday, Coughlan said: "I have two look at those two [away games]. I have to look at our preparation, I have to look at our travel, I have to look at our training previously and look at our personnel.

"I cannot have that mindset, I cannot have that mentality in the camp."