NEWPORT County boss Anthony Hudson is warning his charges that now is the moment to impress him with time running out at the business end of the Conference National season.

Rookie Hudson has won two of his opening three league games as manager, including a thumping 5-0 triumph at home to Barrow last weekend, but has just 270 more minutes of football left before the end of the campaign.

Trips to Altrincham today and Gateshead next Saturday are sandwiched either side of Bank Holiday Monday’s visit from champions Crawley before time is called on a satisfactory debut season in the Conference for County and Hudson is keen that his charges realise what is at stake.

Plans are already being made for next season and Hudson wants to record his first win on the road for his biggest game yet.

“I am looking at this as our biggest game since I’ve been here, I want to know if we can go to places like Altrincham who are relegation threatened and on paper need the result more than we do and see how the players respond,” he said.

“I won’t have it, an attitude that the run-in doesn’t matter and I want to see what the players attitude is like, are they going to play the way they have been?

“We were great against Barrow. The York away game wasn’t a bad performance, but I felt like deep down we could have done more and it was a bit of an opportunity lost.”

Hudson has a list of long term objectives for County, but insists he will focus only on the next three games before making decisions that effect next season.

“All the long term decisions and objectives can wait a couple of weeks, the focus at the moment has to be on getting the best end to the season we possibly can,” he explained.

“We aren’t setting point targets for the run-in because the players shouldn’t be looking past the next game.”

County travel to Cheshire with two injury concerns, central defender Chris Todd (groin) and right back Paul Bignot (ankle) both set for late fitness tests after limping out of the Barrow clash.

However, better news comes with the fact reinforcements are in place with Andrew Hughes, who was rested against Barrow, Eddie Odhiambo (wrist) and long term absentee Lee Baker (foot) all fit for selection.

Hudson also explained that he feels his appointment as permanent successor to Dean Holdsworth came at the absolutely ideal time.

“This little time window to work with the players, to see what they are all about, to get to know the club properly, it’s absolutely perfect,” he said.

“I am starting to get ideas for next season and it allows us to hit the summer period running, everyone will have had a fair crack of the whip.”

l County’s Gwent Senior Cup final against Croesyceiliog has been set for May 21 at Abergavenny Thursday’s Pen-Y-Pound Stadium.

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