CAPTAIN Mike Flynn says defeat on Saturday could spell disaster for Newport County AFC.

The Exiles slipped were beaten by play-off hopefuls Plymouth Argyle on Tuesday night to leave them just seven points above the League Two relegation zone.

County have played the same number of games as all their rivals now and Flynn says Saturday’s visit of fellow strugglers Wycombe Wanderers could be crucial.

“I don’t think we’re safe,” said the skipper. “We’ve got a massive game on Saturday and if we lose it we’re right in the mire.

“If we win it I think we’ll be fine; it’s as simple as that.

“It’s not all doom and gloom. We’ve got a seven-point cushion and there are a lot of teams below us but we’re not interested in them.

“We’re only interested in Newport County and we’ve got to do our job first.”

Flynn scored the winner at Wycombe on Boxing Day to take his side up to fifth in the table but since then it has all gone wrong for Justin Edinburgh’s men.

They have won just twice more in 20 games since that victory at Adams Park and Flynn admits there is a lack of quality in the squad.

“We’re disappointed. I don’t think we were good enough, quality-wise,” he said after the 2-1 defeat to the Pilgrims at Rodney Parade.

“The gaffer said the effort and determination was there but we need a bit more quality now.

“We can’t carry on playing like this because at the moment we’re not capable of coming back from a deficit.

“I should have done better with a shot in the second half,” he added. “I’m not making any excuses but I think the only thing you can do on this pitch is put your foot through it.

“But we can’t give goals away like we did. It was really sloppy and at the moment we’re not clinical enough to come back from that.

“Plymouth came with a good game plan. They got the goals and then the way they set up with two big men getting hold of the ball in midfield and Wotton sitting in front of the back four made it difficult for us.

“We couldn’t get in behind them and that’s where we needed more quality and invention.”