STEVENAGE boss Darren Sarll is expecting to face a “highly-motivated” Newport County AFC side at Rodney Parade today.

Sarll is well aware that his men could come up against an Exiles outfit that will be hard to predict as they scrap for points at the foot of League Two.

Boro are going through a rocky patch themselves with two defeats in their last three league outings – they have also failed to find the net in that spell.

As for County, without a manager following Warren Feeney’s sacking on Wednesday, they are yet to win on home soil this season.

However, Sarll is expecting them to come out like the proverbial wounded animal this afternoon.

“The game against Crawley I took over and the dressing room was absolutely rocking,” he said. “We put in an okay performance and we didn’t get a very good result.

“You can’t predict how the group of men are going to come out.

“What we can try to predict is how we come out and what we do.

“If tradition applies their group of players will be highly motivated as they will want to impress their new manager wherever he is, whether he’s in the dugout or the stands.

“Whatever they put out we’ve got to be ready.”