Morecambe 1-2 Newport County: Ged Brannan beaten in first game as permanent Shrimps boss

Seb Palmer-Houlden's goal was his first since August

Newport County inflicted the first League Two home loss of 2023-24 on Morecambe to wreck Ged Brannan's first game as their permanent Shrimps boss.

Michael Mellon fired in on the turn to give Brannan's reign the ideal start.

But Newport's Will Evans equalised, rifling in his 11th league goal of the season after a corner was not cleared.

Bristol City loanee Seb Palmer-Holden then bundled home at the far post to score the decisive goal.

Exiles keeper Nick Townsend denied Mellon, who is on loan from Burnley, an equaliser with a sharp save.

But Newport, who were boosted by the return of Harry Charsley from injury, held on for only their third away league win this season.

They are 15th in League Two, while Morecambe are 11th.

Newport manager Graham Coughlan:

"That was a hell of a performance. I don't mean glitz, I don't mean glamour. I mean we had to dig deep, we had to show resilience and we had to show character on a bitterly cold night.

"You can see the pitch is freezing over - the conditions were tough.

"But that was a brilliant performance from our lads.

"It's not glitzy, glamour, it's not tippy-tippy football, that is true grit and determination. That is what you have to do in this division."