NEWPORT County defender Darren Jones won’t even ponder a relegation battle as he bids to help the Exiles to bounce back from their poor start to the season.

The hometown player returned to South Wales this summer after nearly a decade in the lower reaches of the Football League.

While County were toiling at Basingstoke and Dover in the Conference South, Jones was a permanent fixture in Leagues One and Two.

And the 30-year old is convinced he sees enough quality in his teammates to feel certain they can halt their slump.

Jones was the Argus star man at Mansfield and is hopeful today is the day the Exiles finally get their campaign off and running.

“We are desperate for a win, we don’t have a point yet and we know Saturday will be very hard, because Burton, every season, are there or thereabouts,” he told the Argus.

“We’ve got to keep doing the positive things we’ve been doing and cut out the mistakes, we aren’t getting battered or playing really badly, we’ve been the stronger team in large parts of the league games we’ve played.

“But at present, we are creating problems in both boxes, both by not taking our chances enough and conceding far too many goals.

“Individual errors at the moment are costing us, not the team shape or anything like that, so hopefully it is easier to correct the mistakes.

“I didn’t come here for a relegation battle, I still do believe we’ve got a promotion in us at this club.

“The boys were flying until they had a long period off last winter and looked like a play-off team and I am still aiming high for the season.

“We need a good win to get us going and many more will follow.”

Jones admitted he felt County’s unbeaten pre-season had counted for little.

“Those games were against teams not up to standard, you can’t go on anything by that, as soon as you have something on the game, it builds pressure and that is where mistakes come.

“But if we support each other and believe in each other the mistakes will disappear.

“We are at home today and we know there is pressure on us to deliver because we showed last season we can beat anyone in the league on our day. We know the fans are screaming for a win.

“We have ears, we hear the shouts from the stands and know some aren’t happy, but hopefully everyone gets behind us today even though our critics have every right to their opinion.

“But the way we are playing, there is still a good feeling in the group; there is a good vibe about the lads. We all know what we can do and we are determined to get a result to match a performance.”