Newport County coach Wayne Hatswell paid tribute to a ‘professional’ Southampton after Wednesday night’s 8-0 EFL Cup thrashing at the hands of the Premier League outfit, while speaking to the South Wales Argus.
After Ralph Hasenhuttl made nine changes from the side which claimed a creditable draw with Manchester United on Sunday, Saints supporters could be forgiven for fearing a rusty, disjointed display away at their League Two opponents in midweek.
They needn’t have worried.
The likes of Moi Elyounoussi, Nathan Redmond and Ibrahima Diallo had a point to prove at Rodney Parade and prove it they did, securing the biggest away win in the club’s 135-year history as Southampton ran riot.
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“It was a harsh lesson and that was the calibre of team that we were up against. When they get chances they are clinical in what they do,” Hatswell said after a punishing defeat for a Newport side with promotion ambitions this season.
“Fair play to Ralph (Hasenhuttl), he brought a really strong team and I can’t praise Southampton highly enough for how professional they were. They pressed after us high up the pitch and we saw the difference in quality.
“We could have stopped a few of their goals, and I am disappointed in that, but we have to dust ourselves down.”
Chelsea loanee Armando Broja marked his full Southampton debut with a brace while Elyounoussi, returning from a two-year spell at Celtic, netted his first ever hat-trick in English football.
There were also goals for Kyle Walker-Peters, Nathan Tella and the razor-sharp Redmond in South Wales.
It remains to be seen, however, if the likes of Elyounoussi, Tella or Broja keep their place when Southampton take on a winless Newcastle United in the Premier League this weekend.
The Saints will make a trip to Championship strugglers Sheffield United in the Carabao Cup third round in three weeks.
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