Worst in the EFL - the team with a penalty problem

What the report says

Newport County’s penalty troubles are the focus of a BBC Sport Wales report examining why the League Two side have become the worst-performing team in the EFL from the spot. Across the past two seasons in all competitions, Newport have scored only two of nine penalties, with a conversion rate of 16.7% that the report says is the lowest in the English Football League. The issue is especially notable because the club is only two points outside the play-off places, meaning missed chances could have a direct impact on their season.

The article says three managers and a number of players have tried to solve the problem, but the outcomes have largely stayed the same. Harrison Biggins briefly seemed to end the run when he scored at Rotherham in October, only for his next attempt to be saved against Cheltenham Town four days later. Manager Hayden Mullins said he does not blame players who step up, describing penalties as a battle of nerves and goalkeeper anticipation.

BBC Sport also notes that several recent efforts have gone to the same side, with goalkeepers guessing correctly on multiple occasions. Newport have varied takers and techniques at times, but that has not changed the results. Mullins said striker Shaquille Gwengwe has resumed training and that the team practises penalties, while adding that he will not overreact to the poor record. In general football terms, the piece highlights how a small set-piece weakness can carry outsized consequences over a long season.