Newport County

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Head coach Nelson Jardim says Newport County believe they can topple high-flying Bradford City on Saturday (15:00 GMT) as they look to continue their best run of the season.

The Exiles have climbed to 14th in League Two having won four games in a row.

But Jardim's side can expect a stern examination as they host the third-placed Bantams, who have won eight of their past 10 second-tier matches.

"It's going to come down to small margins," said Jardim.

"We are looking to find that stability and balance in every unit.

"We have had to change our team a lot due to different factors but we are in good form, with good momentum, and we give our best every day to try to keep that going.

"We are in a position where we can look at this game and try to win it."

Bradford beat Newport 3-1 at Valley Parade in October, but Jardim expects a different contest in the return fixture.

"It's going to be a different game, they are a different team now compared to back in October," he added.

"We are also a different team now, but it will be a typical League Two game.

"They are doing so well, third in the league, but we expect to be competing and we know if we do our job it is a game we can win."

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Newport County head coach Nelson Jardim says it is "too early" to discuss player contracts ahead of next season.

A number of key Newport players are out of contract in the summer, including Aaron Wildig, James Clarke and Shane McLoughlin.

Kieron Evans, Kyle Hudlin, Noah Mawene, Jaden Warner and David Ajiboye will also leave Rodney Parade at the end of the season when their loan deals expire.

Despite the large number of impending departures, Jardim insists contract negotiations will not start yet.

"It's too early for those types of conversations," said Jardim, whose side have 16 League Two games to play this season.

"Obviously we do not want a lot of movement in the summer, we just want a clear idea of what we want going forward.

"It's also not just starters, it is back-ups as well, but we know what we want and what we need."

Jardim says his players, who have put together a run of four straight league wins, are solely focused on performances as they prepare for Saturday's home game against Bradford City (15:00 GMT).

"We haven't had time for [contract talks] playing every Saturday-Tuesday," said Jardim.

"Now is not the moment for it, everyone is pushing hard to play and nobody is thinking about their contracts."

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Newport County head coach Nelson Jardim has confirmed that midfielder Kai Whitmore will miss Saturday's League Two match with Bradford City.

Whitmore, 23, has missed the last three games having suffered a leg injury in County's 1-0 win over Barrow on 1 February.

Newport are thin on the ground in midfield, with Aaron Wildig already ruled out for the season and Kieron Evans expected to miss at least four more weeks.

"Kai is unavailable for the game," confirmed Jardim.

"The rest of the squad is looking okay, we still have one more training session to go but it is all about recovering."

The injuries in midfield have not stopped Newport putting together a run of four-straight wins.

Summer signing Cameron Antwi and Shane McLoughlin - who usually plays full-back - have formed an unlikely midfield duo, but they have both played a key part in the recent resurgence.

A win over Bradford on Saturday could see Newport move into the top half of the League Two table for the first time since October, having been just five points above the bottom two a matter of weeks ago.

"We have to keep the momentum going, but we have to keep focused on what we are doing," said Jardim.

"We were not bad when we were losing games, and we have not been that good when winning, it's little things.

"The most important thing is we have a good group of people working hard every day and sometimes football just goes your way."

Image source, Getty Images

Newport County head coach Nelsom Jardim says he was never worried about the prospect of getting relegated from League Two.

After a poor run of form which saw them win once in three months, The Exiles found themselves just six points off the bottom two.

But following their 1-0 win over bottom club Carlisle on Tuesday night - a fourth successive victory - they are now 16 points clear of the relegation zone.

"I never had any relegation fears. I was accused of being deluded," Jardim told BBC Radio Wales Sport.

"I believe in my work and I believe in the people I work with every day - the staff and the players.

"Football is about momentum, and when things come together you win games.

"The biggest challenge now is making sure we carry on doing this. We need to carry on working and improving."

Jardim was the subject of some criticism from his own supporters after the 2-1 defeat against Swindon Town in January.

But he maintains that he has always had belief in his own ability and in the group of players at his disposal.

"I don't need to prove nothing to anyone," Jardim added.

"I've worked twice with Maritimo, twice with Nacional and twice in Swansea.

"The only people I have to prove myself to is the people I work with every day.

"Sometimes you work hard and you don't get what you deserve. We went through a spell of games where we were playing better than we're playing now, but results were not coming off."

Image source, Getty Images

Mark Hughes says he "enjoyed every minute" of his return to management and is eyeing Newport County after an "encouraging" start to his time at Carlisle United.

The Wales legend was a surprise appointment as new Carlisle boss last week, facing the challenge of saving the Cumbrians from relegation into non-league.

Hughes, a former Wales manager and 72-cap international, took charge for the first time at the weekend, going down 2-1 at Grimsby Town to keep them at the bottom of League Two.

They now head to Newport on Tuesday looking to cut the gap to safety from five points.

And former Manchester United and Barcelona star Hughes says he loved being back in the dug-out for the first time since leaving Bradford City in October 2023.

"I enjoyed every minute of it," Hughes told BBC Radio Cumbria. "Three o'clock on a Saturday afternoon - that's what I've missed. It was great to be back."

On Carlisle's defeat, Sparky added: "It was a performance of good energy and a group of guys trying to implement what a new management team has been trying to put in within 48 hours.

"Getting beat in your first game as manager of club is disappointing, but you always want to take encouragement and I've been able to do that.

"I feel there's more to come when we can have more time with the group and we can bring the better elements we saw more to the fore on more regular occasions."

Carlisle went ahead after just five minutes at Blundell Park before losing the game in the final 10 minutes for a third defeat in a row.

Newport had at one stage been worrying close to the drop zone themselves, only for a three game winning streak to ease the pressure. They welcome Carlisle able to go 16 points clear of the bottom two by making it four wins on the spin for the first time since August 2022.

But Hughes said he will be ready for the test, adding: "It's a big game on Tuesday against a side who have found a little bit of form.

"(Saturday was) a good learning experience for me; I understand a lot more about of what is ahead of us and what the group is capable of. I'll take that, process that and go again on Tuesday.

"We've got a couple of days to go through it with a fine tooth comb, understand areas that were causing us a problem, we'll pick the bones out of it and be ready to go again and try and take that extra step that allows us to win games."

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Cameron Antwi celebrated a boyhood dream with the spectacular at Crewe – but says it's the ugly stuff that is making the difference for in-form Newport County.

The Exiles have taken a giant stride towards easing League Two relegation fears with three wins in a row.

The latest came at Gresty Road, with the former Cardiff City midfielder opening the scoring in the 3-0 win.

It was the 23-year-old's first senior goal, the midfielder marking the occasion with an eye-catching somersault.

But it's been the way an inexperienced side has suddenly found its fight that has really impressed of late, something Antwi acknowledged a young team has learned to get to grips with.

"I've been waiting for that since I was eight or nine years-old," said summer arrival Antwi of his landmark goal.

"This is my first season in the EFL and I am enjoying it. I am learning every single day and taking in different experiences, and also learning from the older lads and other boys that have come in. Every day is a learning curve.

"I feel that I am starting to progress more and I think that is showing on the pitch with results and performances.

"I'm understanding sometimes you need to just put your foot in and I feel that I am learning that and getting better at that. When I am in the middle, I've got to be the one to do that and then others will follow.

"It's just been about getting to know each other more and also just fighting for each other, being there for your mates on the pitch.

"It's understanding I can't just play individually, it has to be as a team. We're on a good run and will look to go into Tuesday with the same spirit and same fight and win again."

Newport welcome bottom placed Carlisle in midweek – now managed by Wales legend Mark Hughes – with the chance to move 16 points clear of the bottom two.

It could be a significant opportunity given they were once within six points with games against survival rivals to come.

Antwi added: "It's been a long time since we have put a few wins together but we have worked together, fought together and got the right results for it.

"We're not looking ahead of us or behind, we're just focusing on ourselves."

Image source, Getty Images

Nelson Jardim hopes Newport County can have a "steady" summer following two hectic transfer windows since he joined the club ahead of the 2024-25 season.

The Exiles signed six players during the January window, meaning they have recruited a total of 24 players throughout the course of the current season.

And while Newport have endured tough spells in their debut campaign under Jardim, the Portuguese boss feels his new-look squad will only improve as they spend more time together.

"When you change around 20 players in the squad in one season, most of them young players, you have your squad for next season already done," said Jardim.

"You just need to do a touch here and there, little things, which is normal, but you are not starting all over again.

"That's the target - can we make sure we've got a consistent team and a group of boys that can grow together and will be much better next season.

"I don't have any doubts that they will do that, but when you are competing you want to win every game. The short-term goals are there, to push forward and go upwards.

"Long-term we want to build something for the future and I am sure within a year or two these boys will do a lot of good things.

"This season allows everyone to get to know each other. What we are looking for is a steady summer, with the target of improving the team."

Lewis Webb, Tom Davies, Josh Martin, Jaden Warner and Keenan Patten have all recently joined the club while David Ajiboye arrived on loan from Peterborough United.

Newport also extended striker Kyle Hudlin's loan deal from Huddersfield Town until the end of the season.

And while Jardim was disappointed to lose full-back Tom Davies - who arrived on a permanent deal from Cardiff City - for the remainder of the season due to a hamstring injury, the head coach feels the club are in a stronger position as a result of their dealings in the winter market.

"Every time you go to a transfer window you want to improve the team, and that is happening," added the Newport boss.

"January did that, we are much stronger with the boys that have come in.

"The only disappointment is the injury to Tom Davies, you don't want to see a young player with a bright future having that time away from training and playing."

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Newport County goalkeeper Nick Townsend said the team needed to move away from playing "nice football" to beat Morecambe on Tuesday.

A poor run of form had seen the Exiles drop dangerously close to the relegation zone, but back-to-back wins have moved them 10 points clear of the bottom two.

Nelson Jardim's side followed up Saturday's 1-0 home win over Barrow with a 2-1 win over the Shrimps - Joe Thomas and David Ajiboye with the goals.

Townsend, an Antigua and Barbuda international, said the team will be stronger having bounced back from a run of one win in 15 games.

"It's a massive win for us, we needed it, we've dug deep," said Townsend.

"We are starting to gel, it's a young team still and we've had some lads coming in to strengthen the squad.

"We understood what we needed to do, it was not nice football but it was effective football.

"We have the foundations now to build on, this is the hard part of football.

"We're coming to the business end of the season, and we need to get through this period and come back stronger."

Image source, Huw Evans Agency

Newport County boss Nelson Jardim says he has not paid attention to his critics after a win that eased pressure on his young side.

County saw off struggling Morecambe to move 10 points clear of the League Two relegation places, David Ajiboye scoring just minutes after the visitors looked to have snatched a point.

It was a second straight win for the Exiles in a period Jardim had accepted was key one to pull away from trouble after a winless six games.

But the Portuguese head coach says he has ignored doubters and focused on his fresh-faced side, still confident they can kick on in their season.

Speaking after the 2-1 win at Rodney Parade, Jardim said: "It is a big win. We knew we needed to win this game, it feels good - and I'm just pleased for the players.

"They have been fantastic from the beginning of the season and they deserve that. The fight especially in the last two games has been outstanding."

There had been questions over the mental strength of an inexperienced side faced with a relegation fight, but Jardim said the late win was not an answer to such critics.

He said: "I don't know anything about critics, I know only about my players, that's what I care about it. I can only deal with things in a positive manner, so I don't read the news, social media, because I am only focused on working with my players.

"The only thing I worry about is how they think, how they see things, how can we improve. The only criticism I have to pay attention to is from the players. Whatever we do is because we work together, every day, and that's why you see them fighting and knowing what to do in these situations."

Newport had lost five games in a row before a point at Salford was followed up by a home win over Barrow and this success over 23rd-placed Morecambe.

Jardim added: "We are still far away from what we want, but every team goes through a bad spell. You have to put what we've been through in context – with less home games than others, with injuries, with tough games we've had recently.

"I can only focus on how we can improve, they have been great to work with and a joy to watch. You always want to win in a comfortable manner, but to win like that sometimes can be more than three points."

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Nelson Jardim says Newport County must be ready for a fight on Tuesday night (19:45 GMT) as they take on Morecambe at Rodney Parade.

Newport are aiming for a second home victory in three days having ended their six-game winless run by beating Barrow on Saturday.

The Exiles are 19th in League Two, seven points clear of a Morecambe side who are currently 23rd.

Derek Adams' Morecambe ended a three-game league winless streak by beating Fleetwood 4-2 over the weekend.

And Jardim says that though the Shrimps are in the relegation zone, they will provide a stern test.

"The fight will have to be there," said the Newport head coach.

"It's obviously going to be tough – Morecambe make every game tough for everyone they play. Even when they lose games, it's 1-0, 1-0, 1-0. They are always there fighting."

Morecambe's visit – a rearranged fixture after it was postponed last month - is the second of five home matches in six for Newport, who have played 15 away league games this compared to only 12 on their own patch.

"We have got this good run of home games because we have been playing away a lot since November," Jardim added.

"I have always said home games are important for a team like us. Then there is a big chance to go away and nick a win and we will do that - we almost did it in Salford [last week].

"First we will make sure that we do our best to win our home games."

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Newport County say they will take the strongest possible action after a supporter was accused of homophobic abuse during Saturday's League Two win over Barrow.

The incident - which was reported to the match referee - is alleged to have been made towards a Barrow player from a supporter in the open terrace situated behind the managers' dugouts at Rodney Parade.

The club have hit out against such behaviour and called for fans to step forward with information.

A statement released on Monday read: "The club is aware of an incident involving an individual making an abusive comment, of a homophobic nature to an opposing player, which was reported to the match referee during Saturday's fixture against Barrow AFC.

"Such behaviour is completely unacceptable, deeply offensive, and in no way reflects the values of this club or the support we expect for our team."

The club said they will take the strongest possible action "in line with our Sanctions and Banning Policy".

Their statement went on: "Newport County is committed to maintaining a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for all supporters. We will be working closely with the Police and stewards to identify the individual responsible for this comment.

"We stand united in our commitment to ensuring a welcoming and respectful atmosphere for all fans, and the club abhor any discriminate actions or comments."