Senior pair provide fitness lift to Newport

Newport midfielder Aaron Wildig began his career at Cardiff City

Senior duo Aaron Wildig and Bryn Morris are set to give Newport County a double boost for their League Two trip to Tranmere, on Saturday.

Morris missed last Saturday’s FA Cup exit at the hands of League One Peterborough United with a knock, while captain Wildig was on the bench against Posh but could not play any part because of ongoing back problems.

But both are ready and available to face Tranmere as Newport head coach Nelson Jardim weighs up his options for the clash at Prenton Park.

Jardim said: “Bryn is that character, that senior player who is experienced and knows the league very well and obviously is one of the good players in this squad. Having him on the pitch is good but he brings other things, too.

“Aaron is a leader and captain of this club and I have mentioned before, he leads by example on the pitch. Both of them are massive for us, but so are all the others.

" It’s not all about players and one or two people it’s about the squad and the club, it’s about everyone being involved and engaged.”

Striker Hamzad Kargbo is still sidelined by a shoulder problem and though defender Shane McLoughlin returned from injury to the bench against Peterborough, he is still short of full fitness.

Jardim said: “Shane in the final process. He is fit but needs to get that final bit where he can give us that confidence, that he is not going to get injured again.”

Its possible McLoughlin will more likely feature in Tuesday’s Bristol Street Motors Football League Trophy tie at Reading.

But with the availability of Morris and Wildig, there will be more midfield options for Jardim as Newport, currently standing 14th in the table, resume their League Two programme against a side five points and five places below them.

Before their cup demise, Newport had kept two clean sheets with a win at Gillingham and a hard fought goalless draw at home to Fleetwood.

Now in the wake of their cup disappointment, Jardim said: “It all about bouncing back. Last week we were disappointed and frustrated not to get something out of the game.

“But we have to focus on what we have done well and we have done a lot of good things”