Kieron Evans, a forward for Newport County, made his debut in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday, 2024–25. But after a 2-1 setback to Cheltenham Town, the Cardiff City loanee believes the Exiles still have a lot of work to do.
Evans’ first goal on 33 minutes gave the Welsh team the lead, and Jacob Carney’s dismissal before halftime cemented the lead. The second half saw Newport under intense pressure, as Cheltenham scored twice to prevent the Exiles from winning for the fourth time in a row.
Evans, who signed a summer transfer loan from the Bluebirds to join Newport, had a bitter-sweet evening. The 22-year-old made his complete debut in the EFL Trophy after coming off the bench in the Exiles’ 3-1 League Two victory over Accrington Stanley on Saturday.
On the other hand, the forward performed admirably against Cheltenham. His accurate shot into the bottom left corner from the area’s perimeter proved his ability to score goals. Even though Evans scored early on for Newport, he was candid about his team’s performance in the cup loss. There was lots to improve on, the former Torquay player stated in an interview with the Newport County website.
“I believe that in the first half, we were really content with ourselves. Of course, we were ahead, we had the goal, and the red card changed the course of the match, so we had trouble after that.
“To be fair, they were all over us, but it was tough being down a man in the second half.” We must build on the things that went well in the first half and correct the errors that occurred in the second.
Nevertheless, the youthful striker was just as happy to score his first goal since travelling the short distance across South Wales to join Newport this summer. Evans also believes that under Nelson Jardim, who took over as Newport’s manager in July, he is in a good position to grow. The Portuguese talked about why he wanted to play more preseason football that is centred around possession, something Evans finds appealing.
Evans went on, “I knew I wasn’t going to miss the second once I got it, but I missed an easier chance right before the goal.”
“It’s good to start the season strong, and hopefully the goals will come in more frequently from now on.” I like to keep the ball on the floor, so Newport’s style of play is ideal for me.
Author’s Perspective
The loss to Cheltenham, who had lost their last four games before winning at Rodney Parade, will irritate Evans and Newport. However, all things considered, the Exiles seem to be moving in the right path, and Evans is correct when he says that the first half send-off affected their performance.
A goal for the 22-year-old early in the season will greatly increase his confidence on a personal level. He will, however, be up against fierce opposition in the attacking zones. Bobby Kamwa and Courtney Baker-Richardson both have two goals
netted once in League Two so far this season.
Whether Evans’ scoring exploits in the EFL Cup can earn him a starting place against Port Vale remains to be seen. But he will definitely want to build scoring momentum, whether that’s from the starting XI of the bench.
