BOTH Newport County AFC and Tranmere Rovers are looking to reignite their League Two promotion bids this afternoon, writes Chris Kirwan.

The Exiles have endured a winless February that has seen them slip from third to eighth, outside the play-off zone.

A caveat is that it has been a tricky run in which they have lost at leaders Forest Green, second-placed Northampton before home draws against resurgent Oldham Athletic and seventh-placed Mansfield, who haven't lost since November.

They aim to get three points against a Tranmere side that sit third despite a three-game winless streak.

Mickey Mellon's men lost 1-0 at Walsall and Hartlepool before being denied victory at Prenton Park last weekend when former County loanee Jamie Proctor struck at the death to steal a 1-1 draw for Port Vale.

Exiles manager James Rowberry is ignoring that tricky spell and knows that it will be a tough test against League Two's meanest defence.

"Tranmere are third in the league for a reason. They are effective in what they do," he said.

"They have some really good players who can cope with the ball under pressure and play within their strengths of the two strikers of Kane Hemmings and Elliott Nevitt.

"They have really good wide players who can get in between lines and penetrate, then the experience of Peter Clarke in the back line."

League Two fixtures: Barrow v Harrogate, Bradford City v Mansfield, Bristol Rovers v Exeter, Colchester United v Oldham, Crawley v Forest Green, Leyton Orient v Carlisle United, County v Tranmere, Port Vale v Stevenage, Rochdale v Northampton, Sutton v Scunthorpe, Swindon v Salford, Walsall v Hartlepool.