Steve Cotterill hails Robbie Cundy’s impact as Cheltenham edge lowly Newport

Steve Cotterill hailed the impact of big defender Robbie Cundy after Cheltenham’s narrow 1-0 League Two win over relegation-threatened Newport.

George Miller’s 82nd-minute winner sealed the points, leaving Newport one point clear of the drop zone with two games left to play.

Cheltenham lost Cundy to a foot injury in the first half and Cotterill said he was immediately missed.

“Robbie has gone for an X-ray and it doesn’t look good, so I am bit disappointed with that,” Cotterill said.

“When I came in, Robbie looked down. He is a deep kid, but a smart cookie and he’s been outstanding since he came into the team.

“The amount of balls he’s headed out of our box and you can’t survive in this league without a big number five.

“They need to do all the unsavoury jobs, but Robbie has great feet too, for somebody so big.

“I think he’s done brilliantly – I’m just a little bit fearful on this injury.”

Christian Fuchs’ Newport side very nearly opened the scoring at Whaddon Road, hitting the woodwork twice before Miller’s winner.

Matt Baker saw a header rebound off the crossbar two minutes before half-time with ex-Newport goalkeeper Joe Day a spectator.

Day then made a superb save to deny James Crole in first-half stoppage time, with Nathan Opoku and Sven Spangler also seeing efforts blocked in the box, while Jordan Wright had saved well from Jordan Thomas at the other end.

But Harrison Biggins also hit the crossbar for the Exiles after Ben Lloyd’s pass in the 60th minute, with Crole’s follow-up caught by Day.

The deadlock was broken by Cheltenham in the 82nd minute when half-time substitute Mo Faal brought down Luke Young’s delivery in the box and supplied Miller, who finished neatly for his fifth goal of the season.

It sealed a third victory in succession for Cotterill’s Cheltenham, who moved up to 17th as a result.

Newport, meanwhile, have to play Oldham at home and Barrow away as they look to secure their EFL status for next season.

Fuchs felt his side merited something from the game, but remained adamant they were still very much up for the fight.

“It’s obviously disappointing,” he said. “We definitely deserved way more from the game than we got at the end.

“One mistake when we were not really in our shape or structure and it was costly towards the end of the game.

“But from what I have seen from my team is that they are very much alive and creating a lot of chances, it was just ruthlessness before the goal that let us down.

“We got into many good areas, tried to get on the front foot, hit the crossbar twice and I told the guys I am very proud of how they performed.

“The only thing we need to work on is putting our chances away.”