NEWPORT County AFC will hunt the scalp of another Premier League side when they host Southampton in the second round of the Carabao Cup.

The Exiles beat Ipswich Town 1-0 at Portman Road on Tuesday night after Timmy Abraham's early goal and their reward is a crack at the Saints at Rodney Parade.

Michael Flynn’s side stunned Swansea and Watford before being beaten on penalties by Newcastle last season.

All of those games were played behind closed doors but this time the County fans are set to return for the fixture on the week of August 23.

Summer work on the Rodney Parade pitch means the Exiles are playing all of their League Two fixtures on the road in August but manager Flynn said after Tuesday’s game that they would be able to host a tie.

That means the first home match of the season will be in front of a bumper crowd with the Saints becoming the NINTH of this year’s Premier League clubs to have visited Rodney Parade in the Michael Flynn era.

Leeds and Tottenham Hotspur came in 2017/18, Leicester and Manchester City were hosted in 2018/19, West Ham in 2019/20 and last season they faced Watford, Newcastle and Brighton.

Only Manchester City and the Hammers have won while the Magpies and Seagulls edged out the Exiles on penalties in 2020/21.

  • County 2 Leeds 1 - FA Cup, January, 2018
  • County 1 Spurs 1 - FA Cup, February, 2018
  • County 2 Leicester 1 - FA Cup, January, 2019
  • County 1 Manchester City 4 - FA Cup, February, 2019
  • County 0 West Ham 2 - League Cup, August, 2019
  • County 3 Watford 1 - League Cup, September, 2020
  • County 1 Newcastle 1 (5-4 Newcastle on penalties) - League Cup, September 2020
  • County 1 Brighton 1 (4-3 Brighton on penalties) - FA Cup, January 2021

The date of the fixture is yet to be confirmed with Sky Sports choosing their games for live coverage.

Southampton host Manchester United on Sunday, August 22 so a two-day turnaround for a Tuesday fixture is unlikely, even if Ralph Hasenhuttl were to ring the changes.

The tie falls between County's trips to promotion hopefuls Tranmere and Salford.

The new hybrid pitch at the Parade means that Saturday’s meeting with Mansfield was switched to Field Mill while Tuesday’s game against Northampton was postponed.

County played all of their League Two fixtures behind closed doors last season and were allowed a crowd of 900 for the play-off semi-final against Forest Green Rovers.

Ticket information for the Saints clash will come once the date is confirmed.