Jardim boost as four could return for Newport

Nelson Jardim has had to cope with injuries and suspensions in his inexperienced squad this season

Newport County head coach Nelson Jardim could be boosted by the return of four players as his side look to return to League Two winning ways against Chesterfield, at Rodney Parade, on Friday night.

Anthony Glennon is back from suspension after missing last Saturday’s 1-0 reverse at Harrogate Town.

Midfielder Kai Whitmore has shrugged off a calf injury which has sidelined him since the end of August.

And goalkeeper Nick Townsend and Wales under-21 defender Matt Baker are expected to be involved after returning from international duty.

Left-sided defender Glennon collected his fifth booking of the campaign in the 3-1 defeat at Bradford and so sat out the game at Harrogate.

And the Newport boss admitted Glennon was missed at the Exercise Stadium.

“He gives us more of an attacking threat, he puts good crosses in the box and in the last game we lacked a bit of that," said Jardim.

“It’s not only what he does in the final third, it’s what he does in the middle third and the way he has improved massively in the defensive third.“

Jardim believes a contributory factor to Glennon's bookings is a change of role for the former Grimsby player, who arrived in the summer.

“I think the way he was used to playing as a wing-back can probably be a little bit more released in your defensive duties - but now we play with a back four and he is a full-back, before anything else he needs to defend.

“The amount of bookings is just part of the process of him growing into that tactical role. We can see he is doing great and sometimes when you look only at the numbers and you see all those bookings, it can give you the wrong picture.

“You have to go back to what type of bookings they were, what happened and then when you do that you see it is basic things and part of the game.”

Former Penybont and Haverfordwest midfielder Whitmore has been ruled out with a calf injury since scoring a spectacular goal on his home debut in the 3-1 victory over Doncaster.

Townsend is due to return on Thursday after international action with Antigua and Barbuda, while Baker is vying for a place in the backline after twice playing for the Wales Under-21s as they failed at the last hurdle in their quest for a place at the Euro 2025 finals.

The Wales under-21s were hampered by an FAW administrative error which saw them lose a clutch of players for their key encounter against the Czech Republic which ended in a 2-1 defeat, in Newport.

Jardim believes Baker will shrug off the disappointment of his international involvement as he returns to club matters and looks to ensure Newport recover from the two successive defeats in Yorkshire.

“We will have to speak to him. but I know he is a mentally strong boy. You never know how they are until you speak with them, but I know he is strong and obviously he will now be focussed in what he can do to help the club.”