Newport County: Boss James Rowberry urges fast start against strugglers Rochdale

James Rowberry will complete his first year in charge of Newport County later this month

Newport County boss James Rowberry has urged his players to start on the "front foot" as they take on League Two bottom club Rochdale at Rodney Parade on Saturday.

And he has warned his side - still looking to find sustained momentum this campaign - their struggling visitors do have the ability to hurt them.

Rochdale have taken just five points from their 11 league games so far.

But Rowberry said: "They have goals in them, they are capable of doing that".

Newport, whose surprise 2-1 win at leaders Leyton Orient last week was their only victory in six League Two matches, have kept just one clean sheet this season.

"We have to defend resiliently as we have done and then show our quality with the ball, with the quality we have in wide areas and in the middle of the pitch and really take the game to them and demonstrate what we can do," said Rowberry.

"A fast start and a fast tempo is really important to us. We want to get the fans off their seats and make them really proud of what we believe we can do, like we did at Leyton Orient.

"I believe it is important to get on the front foot, like in any game and that is the start of each half as well, which we needed to do better against Swindon."

Newport's victory in London last weekend was the first time table-topping Leyton Orient had been beaten this season.

County, though, were unable to build on that, suffering a frustrating 1-0 reverse at Swindon Town in midweek.

A run of just four points out of a possible 18 has left the Welsh club 17th in the table but their next three league games are against the sides occupying the bottom three positions.

As Newport look for consistency, Rowberry said: "It is where we are at, we are showing more glimpses of it especially against Leyton Orient, the attitude and desire is there and the spirit.

"We just have to turn these elements into points and get more points on the board, that is our aim for Saturday."

Captain Matty Dolan is "touch and go" with an ankle injury, while defender Priestley Farquharson is still sidelined by a hamstring problem. But West Ham loanee Thierry Nevers could return after a back strain.

Meanwhile striker Offrande Zanzale resumes full training next week having been out since early August with a hamstring tendon injury.