Newport County

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Newport County return to Rodney Parade on Saturday hoping to draw a crowd and win a game.

County take on MK Dons having not played at home since the 0-0 draw with Grimsby Town on 16 November.

That was the first of four successive League Two draws for the Exiles, three of which were goalless stalemates.

It is part of a run that has seen Nelson Jardim's side win just one in 12 in all competitions.

But it is the three clean sheets from the last four games that is offering some hope for a team who, a month ago, had the worst defensive record in the division.

Having had little problem scoring, but plenty of issue keeping teams out, Newport have doubled their season shut-out tally over the past four games.

Becoming tough to beat is a positive for Jardim, who is keen to continue the consistency, but is aware that more is needed from a side 17th in the table.

"Some of the draws have been very good against sides doing well," said Jardim. "Any of those games could have gone either way; we are not too far away from winning but have to be wary we were also not too far to losing.

"But we need to stay consistent in our style and improving in the areas we are not quite there yet and know that down the road you will get your rewards."

Jardim says he has not sacrificed attacking ambition to tighten up at the back, adding: "You never try to do that, you look to work on areas to improve, but you try and progress as a whole.

"Overall, at the start of the season we were scoring a lot but also conceding a lot and that was down a little bit to me not knowing the players, and them not being used to me and the things we wanted to do.

"But this is a process that will have ups and downs - and hopefully we can be in a situation where we only look upwards."

Jardim says MK Dons – among the top scorers in the division and one place outside the play-offs – will be tough opposition, but added: "We have started to show some consistency and had points away at tough places. We can be proud of the way we are progressing but also know we need to do more."

The Portuguese hopes the long-awaited return home will help his side's cause.

"Rodney Parade is massive for us. The fans give us so much energy and are a massive factor in us reaching our objectives," he said.

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Iwan Roberts reckons Newport County are "not a million miles away" from climbing the League Two table, but says the Exiles must make better use of striker Kyle Hudlin.

Newport are 17th in the fourth tier ahead of Saturday's home game against MK Dons (15:00 GMT) after a six-game winless league run which has featured five draws.

This weekend will see a welcome return to Rodney Parade for the Exiles, who have played on their patch only once since 2 November.

"They have drawn five of the last six - they are not a million miles away," former Wales striker Roberts told this week's Feast of Football podcast.

"They are missing their best player in Aaron Wildig, who is not going to be available for the rest of the season [because of injury].

"I am a big admirer of the way Nelson Jardim wants his team to play. They are comfortable on the ball - they build from the back and keep the ball really well."

Roberts, who watched Newport's stalemate at Colchester last weekend, feels the issues for head coach Jardim are in attack.

"They get to the final third and there's just a lack of ideas and a lack of creativity," he added.

"One criticism is they don't use Kyle Hudlin's physicality as much as they should do. I think they should be dropping balls into his chest so he can control it and, if you have someone who's 6ft 9in, you have to put crosses in the box."

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Bobby Kamwa is looking forward to experiencing the Rodney roar once more this weekend after a month on the road.

The Exiles return home to face MK Dons on Saturday having not played on their own patch since 16 November.

A postponement, FA Cup exit and a run of away fixtures have starved the Amber Army of chances to see their side at home.

And former Leeds wideman Kamwa has also had injury issues, meaning he has only been on the Rodney Parade pitch for two hours in more than two months.

But after recovering from a hamstring problem to feature off the bench in last weekend's 0-0 draw at Colchester, Kamwa is raring to go in front of Newport's supporters once more.

"I know the fans have been waiting so hopefully we can put a good performance," said the 24-year-old.

"It's a very different experience, especially the way the ground is with the stands right next to pitch.

"I like it because you can really feel the fans and the atmosphere and it can really get you going.

"They're not afraid to let you know when you need a bit more urgency and sometimes you need that as players if you go to sleep - a bit of voice from the fans and you're back awake."

Kamwa has made 22 appearances for Nelson Jardim's side, scoring one goal so far - an impressive effort in the August home win over Doncaster.

But the summer arrival from Burton is targeting more from both himself and a County team who are currently 17th in League Two.

"I think there's more to come," he added. "We're getting to halfway of the season, we'd like to be higher up the table which is our aim.

"But we've still got a lot of time. The boys are gelling together well now. We've seen over the past few results we're a hard team to beat, so I think there's more to come.

"And hopefully I can influence the games more with goals and assists to help us get up the table."

Image source, Huw Evans Agency

Newport County make a long-awaited return home this weekend hoping to deliver victories during the hectic festive fixture schedule.

Nelson Jardim's side host MK Dons on Saturday in what will be their first Rodney Parade outing since 16 November, when they drew 0-0 with Grimsby Town.

County have won four of eight League Two games on their own patch this season, with Jardim's men aiming to further improve that record as they take on the eighth-placed Dons.

Victory would be timely given that Newport have not won in six league games since their 2-0 success at Gillingham on 22 October.

That was their only triumph, in fact, in 12 games in all competitions since the 3-1 win over Salford City on 1 October.

It has not been all bad news for Newport, who have claimed creditable draws at Colchester United, AFC Wimbledon and Notts County in their last three league outings.

That sequence leaves Newport 17th heading into the Christmas period, nine points clear of the relegation zone.

But with MK Dons marking the start of a run of five league games in just over a fortnight, Newport will be keen for a couple of wins at least.

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Newport County's League Two fixture against Carlisle United at Rodney Parade has been rearranged for Tuesday, 11 February with a 19:45 GMT kick-off time.

The match was originally meant to take place on 7 December but was called off due to the impact of Storm Darragh, which saw most sporting events that Saturday fall to the adverse weather conditions.

Newport decided to postpone the fixture after consulting the Met Office, the English Football League (EFL) and the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), saying at the time: "The safety of travelling fans, staff, players, and officials is the top priority, and this is considered the best decision given the circumstances."

The club has said that all match tickets purchased for the game will remain valid for the rearranged date, while season tickets also remain valid.

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Nelson Jardim has been impressed with the consistency his Newport County side are now showing after they claimed a point at Colchester United.

The Exiles have drawn each of their past four League Two matches, three of which have been away from home, while they have kept clean sheets in three of those outings.

While Jardim feels his Newport side - who are without a win in six league games - are far from the finished article, the Portuguese feels the stalemate at Colchester will stand the club in good stead moving forward.

"It's always a good point away, especially after the terrible couple of weeks against tough teams and not having a home game in between to chase a little bit more," he said.

"It was a positive point and something good for us moving forward - the team is showing consistency.

"Not everything was how I wanted it and there is a lot to improve; I am not happy with some of the details but overall it was a fair result after our effort.

"We made a good start and created some goal-scoring chances but then towards the end of the half Colchester were in control, but the threat was more from corners and free-kicks rather than open play.

"The subs brought energy in the second half and we did create some chances, but then we lost some control by not keeping the ball.

"That is an aspect that we have to improve and I believe there will be a time when we feel really comfortable having the ball."

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Newport County hope their first win in eight games will come at Colchester United on Saturday - despite a pretty uninspiring record in that corner of south-east England.

County haven't won since their trip to Kent on 22 October, when goals from Kyle Hudlin and Matt Baker gave them an impressive 2-0 win at Gillingham in League Two.

They've since lost three games - including one in the FA Cup and one in the EFL Trophy - and drawn four.

And fans planning to follow the Exiles to Essex this weekend might travel more in hope than expectation given that modern-day County have only won once at Colchester in eight attempts.

That sole victory came in March 2021, goals from Joss Labadie and Padraig Amond giving Mike Flynn's Newport a 2-0 win to complete the double over The U's.

All of Newport's other trips to Colchester since 2016-17 have resulted in draws or losses, including a 2-1 defeat in March during the eight-match losing run that brought the 2023-24 campaign to a dismal end.

But Newport will be encouraged by performances in recent games, especially coming back from 2-0 down to earn a point at AFC Wimbledon on 3 December.

County have drawn their last three League Two matches, all of which have been against opponents who are currently in the top nine of the table.

Newport return to action at Colchester after Saturday's game with Carlisle United at Rodney Parade was postponed due to concerns over Storm Darragh.

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Midfielder Kieron Evans says he is encouraged that Cardiff City boss Omer Riza has been in touch during his loan spell at Newport County.

Evans is on a season-long loan at Rodney Parade after signing a new one-year deal with the Bluebirds in the summer.

The 22-year-old has made 10 League Two starts for County, and Riza - now Cardiff's permanent manager until the end of the season - has been keeping tabs on him.

"I've spoken to Omer, he's been in contact a few times," said Evans.

"I had a good relationship with him anyway when I was at Cardiff. It's nice to hear him asking me how I'm doing and stuff like that.

"He's a good bloke, keeping an eye on me to see how I'm doing."

Brithdir-product Evans played on loan at National League outfit Gateshead last season, having previously had a spell at Torquay United. He has five league appearances to his name for the Bluebirds.

He made a second-half substitute's appearance in Cardiff's 2-0 Carabao Cup first-round win over Bristol Rovers in August.

He says it is too early to predict where he will be playing his football next season.

"I signed a new deal at Cardiff at the start of the season. I've got to be respectful of Cardiff," he said.

"All I'm focussing now is playing as many games as I can for Newport, and we'll see what happens at the end of the season."

Evans, usually a wide midfielder, has been playing in a deeper role for County in the past couple of games, in the absence of injured co-captain Aaron Wildig.

"The gaffer has put me as like a [number] six, which I'm happy to do for the team," said Evans.

"I've not played there much before. I've played more like a number 10 if anything, but I can play deep.

"I wish I could get forward a bit more, but I don't really mind it."

Luca Muzzupappa
BBC Sport Wales

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Shane McLoughlin says momentum is on Newport County's side after their last-gasp draw at AFC Wimbledon.

McLoughlin captained the Exiles to a 2-2 comeback draw at Wimbledon in midweek, scoring a penalty in added time to ensure the points were shared.

Defender McLoughlin says he relished the chance to salvage a point for his team, despite Newport's recent spot-kick troubles.

Bryn Morris and Kyle Hudlin have both missed penalties this season, in home stalemates against Fleetwood Town and Grimsby Town.

"I was looking forward to it," McLoughlin said.

"We've missed a few this season so I said I was going to go next. I was confident I was going to put it away."

Newport have drawn their last three League Two matches, all of which have been against opponents who are currently in the top eight of the table.

The Exiles sit 16th, but McLoughlin feels they can kick on from here.

"We're all together, all pushing in the same direction," he added.

"We feel like we need to keep getting stronger every week. In this league, if you can put some results together you don't know where it can take you. We're hoping to keep looking up and keep going up."

Newport return to action at Colchester United on Saturday, 14 December after today's League Two contest with Carlisle United at Rodney Parade was postponed due to concerns over Storm Darragh.

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Newport County striker Courtney Baker-Richardson is facing a spell on the sidelines with a calf injury.

The 29-year-old former Swansea City player missed Newport's 2-2 League Two draw at Wimbledon on Tuesday.

Midfielder Aaron Wildig, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, is the only other player missing before the Exiles host Carlisle United on Saturday.

"Before that [Wimbledon] game, I didn't have a chance to say CBR [Baker-Richardson] had picked up an injury," said Newport head coach Nelson Jardim.

"He's got a muscle injury, the soleus [calf muscle]. And obviously there is Aaron Wildig. Only those two are now in the medical department."

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Nelson Jardim says he wants more from his current crop of Newport County players despite revealing the club have a "clear idea" on potential January transfer window activity.

The Exiles brought in striker Geoffroy Bony, son of former Manchester City and Swansea City player Wilfried, last week.

They could further bolster their squad next month, particularly with midfielder Aaron Wildig set to miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury.

But Jardim says Newport must wait until closer to Christmas to have a clearer idea of whether or not they will need to be active in the winter window.

"I want more from the ones I've got at the moment and they know that," explained Jardim.

"Obviously you're always assessing what's happening, what type of injuries you've got and we've just had a bad one from Wildig. That makes you think in different areas of the pitch.

"We're also starting to assess what we've got at the moment but we still feel it's a little bit early.

"Towards the middle of December, we've got more games and we'll have a better idea of what we need.

"We are planning, we've got a clear idea of what the possibilities are. There's a lot of work in the background that we have to do and keep assessing - sometimes it's a day-by-day thing."

Luca Muzzupappa
BBC Sport Wales

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Head coach Nelson Jardim says there is more to come from youngsters Geoffroy Bony and Joe Thomas following their full League Two debuts for Newport County.

Forward Bony and defender Thomas were each given first league starts in Tuesday's 2-2 draw at AFC Wimbledon.

Thomas arrived at the Exiles from Swansea City in the summer having never played a senior game for the Championship club.

Having made his first Newport appearance in the EFL Trophy at Reading last month, the 22-year-old came off the bench in the goalless draw Notts County last Saturday.

Bony, the son of ex-Swansea and Manchester City striker Wilfried, is another former Swans academy player.

He signed a deal with Newport last month having been released by Swansea in the summer.

Like Thomas, he made his league debut as a substitute at Notts County before being thrown in from the start against the Dons.

"We knew they both had to take time to come up this level," said Jardim.

"They are at a good level but we know there's much more to improve from them."

The Wimbledon draw was a third in succession for 16th-placed Newport.

Thomas and Bony will hope to keep their places when the Exiles return to action on Saturday with a home game against a Carlisle United side who are currently in the relegation zone.

"I think they know that [they need to improve], and they're not only knowing, they want to improve and that is the most important thing," Jardim added.

"I thought they did well because this was a big game for them."

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AFC Wimbledon are aiming to use Newport County as a chance to ease the “sting” of their FA Cup humbling.

The Dons were on the end of an upset in Saturday’s second round as they lost to National League side Dagenham & Redbridge.

The reward for the Daggers was a London derby with Championship Millwall in the third round, leaving Wimbledon to concentrate on their aims of League Two promotion – starting with the visit of the Exiles on Tuesday.

The Dons are in the fourth-tier play-off places in seventh, five points and nine places above Nelson Jardim’s Newport.

And Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson says they are keen to use the game to bounce back from their FA Cup defeat.

"It stings, we wanted to go through," said Jackson.

"But we have to park it really quickly because we have another game and that’s the bigger picture, what we’re doing in the league.

"We wanted to go as far as we could in the cup but we can’t dwell on it because we have another game and in the midst of a tough schedule and we have to win to try and make it easier to forget."

Jackson is dealing with injury problems for the Plough Lane fixture, saying his squad is "stretched really thin" with captain Jack Reeves and striker Myles Hippolyte among those missing.

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Nelson Jardim believes Newport County's improved defensive record can be attributed to his squad's grafting since he arrived at the club in the summer.

The Exiles kept just one clean sheet in their opening 12 League Two matches of the season.

But they head to Wimbledon on Tuesday night (19:45 GMT) having shut out their opponents in four of their previous five league matches - with only Tranmere Rovers scoring a League Two goal against Newport in that period.

And following what was a major overhaul at Rodney Parade over the summer, Jardim feels his side are now starting to benefit from having had more time together on the training ground.

"With all of these changes, there were a lot of things we had to work on," said Jardim.

"But that shows we've improved on that side of the game.

"We know that invincibility lies on the way that you defend. If you defend well you are hard to beat, we're trying to do that.

"That is down to the work that we've been doing and the effort that everyone is putting in."