NEWPORT County AFC have switched their first scheduled home game of the season because of a summer revamp of the Rodney Parade pitch.

The Exiles kick off their League Two campaign at Oldham Athletic on Saturday, August 7 (kick-off 3pm) before a Tuesday trip to face League One Ipswich Town in the Carabao Cup (kick-off 7.45pm).

Michael Flynn’s side were originally meant to host Mansfield in Newport on Saturday, August 14 but the clash will be reversed to Field Mill.

The second meeting between the two sides will take place at Rodney Parade on Saturday, February 19.

County’s first Rodney Parade fixture of the season is now listed against Northampton on Tuesday, August 17 (kick-off 7.45pm) but that could yet also be switched.

That meeting with the Cobblers is followed by away encounters at Tranmere and Salford, so Flynn’s men could start 2021/22 on the road until September.

That is to give extra time for the Rodney Parade surface to settle after extensive work to lay a new hybrid pitch.

South Wales Argus:

The Mansfield fixture has been switched while the trips to Harrogate, Barrow, Hartlepool and Colchester have been changed to Friday nights.

Last season County and the Dragons moved fixtures away from Newport to allow work to be done on the pitch to make it playable for the Exiles’ play-off push.

Planned renovation work in the summer of 2020 was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Flynn’s men are currently at a pre-season training camp in Reading and an Exiles XI take on Undy at the Causeway on Friday night before friendlies against Blackpool, Chippenham, Cinderford and Cardiff City.

The Dragons' season does not start until late September.