Edinburgh: We will bounce back today (From South Wales Argus)

Edinburgh: We will bounce back today

6:00am Saturday 8th September 2012 in Sport By Michael Pearlman

COUNTY V STOCKPORT (Today, KO 3pm)

NEWPORT County AFC manager Justin Edinburgh knows his side have endured a tough few days, but he’s certain they will bounce back against Stockport County.

The Exiles started the campaign like a runaway train with five wins on the spin but have seen their progress derailed by back-to-back away defeats at Wrexham and Dartford.

It has cost County bragging rights as they slipped off their perch as the top team in the Conference, but Edinburgh is confident their recent reverses are nothing more than a blip.

“We’ve lost two in a row which is disappointing but I haven’t been particularly troubled by the performances, we’ve played well in defeat,” he said.

“In particular we didn’t deserve to lose at Dartford, we had 60% of possession and we dominated the game.

“The lads were upset afterwards, really down in the dumps but they’ve responded well in training since. They were very quiet in defeat and this isn’t a quiet dressing room. It shows me they care.

“There is no negativity in the camp and I hope there isn’t anywhere else. Rodney Parade has been a fortress so far this season thanks to the fans and hopefully they’ll continue to support us in big numbers this afternoon.”

Edinburgh knows his side need to start creating and scoring chances as they were earlier in the campaign.

“We have been relying on Aaron O’Connor and he’s responded but hopefully we can spread the goals, we certainly need to get used to playing against sides that defend in great numbers like Dartford did,” he said.

“It’s not something we had to encounter a lot last season but we need to be just a bit more purposeful and clever in the opposition’s final third.

“If anything we kind of beat ourselves at Dartford. We had so much of the ball but we didn’t do enough to make that possession count for anything.”

Edinburgh is nonetheless mindful of being overly harsh when looking at the start of the campaign as a whole.

“We’ve got to reflect on the fact it’s still a great start for us, I would imagine beyond most people’s realistic expectations,” he said.

“Our form at the moment, is two points a game and that is promotion form, which is all I can possibly ask.”

Edinburgh will resist the temptation to make wholesale changes as a reaction to losing out on the road.

“If we’d been outplayed, if I was unhappy with the performances as well as the results it would be different,” he reflected.

“But I am pleased with the level of performance this season. If we all stick together, from the staff to the players and the supporters then we’ll be just fine.”