NEWPORT County AFC will head to Hartlepool United on Friday fretting about an injury and illness crisis, the Argus can reveal.

The Exiles are travelling to the north east for an overnight stay ahead of Saturday’s visit to Victoria Park, but they will do so with their treatment room currently at standing room only levels.

In almost every position the Exiles have issues with Robbie Willmott, Newport’s player of the season so far, the latest to be ruled out long term.

He joins Rene Howe in being several months away from a return, but bumps, bruises and illness have also hit the Exiles hard this week.

Wingback Ryan Jackson (hamstring) is also ruled out for the trip to Victoria Park and both Kevin Feely (toe) and Darren Jones (muscular injury) have been nursing problems they are expected to have to play through.

In midfield, Adam Chapman remains out, Mike Flynn’s hamstring is still a cause for concern and Mark Byrne and Yan Klukowski have also had injury concerns.

In attack, Danny Crow and Howe remain sidelined and they were joined this week by Chris Zebroski who has been nursing a possible concussion after a blow to the back of the head.

If all that wasn’t enough, Newport are also enduring a sickness bug that has swept across the camp.

It means it’s likely a youth player or two will be added to the first team squad, especially in light of the U18s advancing to the second round of the FA Youth Cup for the first time in 14 years.

“It is standing room only in the physio room, in fact, we are going to need a bigger room,” coach Wayne Hatswell explained.

“I think it’s that time of year, we’ve played a lot of football and the niggling injuries have mounted up.

“We’ve got to try and look after the players the best we can.

“Darren Jones will be back, though he’s missing training, not games, and so should Chris Zebroski, but we’ve had a few more go down with illness as well. We’ve got a bug going around the camp.

“Adam Chapman and Ryan Jackson won’t be back, there are a lot of no’s, a lot of maybe’s and a lot of wait and see’s, but the good thing is, we are coping.”

Hatswell is aware of the new manager syndrome that could await County at Hartlepool, currently the bottom club in the Football League.

“All the fans that expect us to go and win easily, we hope they are right but we are expecting a very tough game,” he said.

“The Hartlepool lads have hit rock bottom and they’ll be looking to impress and know the pressure isn’t on them.”