DAVID Pipe captained Newport County AFC to victory over Wrexham the last time the sides met and he’s convinced they can repeat the feat in tonight’s FA Cup second-round clash at The Racecourse.

The 35-year-old defender is the only survivor on either side from the 2013 National League play-off final at Wembley, which the Exiles won 2-0 thanks to late goals from Christian Jolley and Aaron O’Connor.

Pipe believes the current County squad is superior to the one that sealed the club’s return to the Football League five years ago and he’s certain they can get the better of their North Wales rivals once again tonight.

“Without being over-confident, I think we’re in good form,” said the Wales international.

“We play as a team and we pride ourselves on defending and attacking as a team.

“We’re definitely more talented than that team [in 2013].

“We were very physical and very strong-minded [back then].

“We knew that by staying in games and over-powering teams we could be successful and we were.

“This team can play a lot more and we can also do the physical side as well.”

The Exiles are currently fourth in the League Two table and challenging for promotion again but Pipe still rates that 2013 final as one of the highlights of his career.

“It’s up there with representing your country,” he said. “It doesn’t get better than that.

“Lots of lads have had great careers but never played at Wembley, let alone winning there and lifting a trophy there.

“If you don’t appreciate that as a player then you don’t deserve to be there.”

Exiles boss Michael Flynn played alongside Pipe in the 2013 final and he too is hoping for a similar outcome tonight.

“It brings back some nice memories,” said the manager, who started in midfield five years ago.

“It was huge for us. It meant everything.

“Wrexham are arguably a bigger club than Newport. They have a bigger fan-base and they still haven’t got back [into the League] five years later.

“That shows you how big it was.

“Let’s hope that we’ve got the same feeling come 10pm on Saturday night.”

The Exiles are certain to face a hostile atmosphere at The Racecourse as the hosts seek revenge for their Wembley defeat but Pipe insists they will be prepared.

“I’ve played there when it’s full and bouncing and, looking at what’s going on there now, I’m sure it will be a great atmosphere,” he said.

“I think revenge is a strong word but words are just words at the end of the day. I’m more of an actions-type guy.

“We’ll just approach it exactly how we do week in and week out.

“No matter who we’re against – bottom of the league, top of the league – we approach it the same way and we’ll be ready.”

Flynn added: "We play in Newport every other week – there’s nowhere more hostile that that!

"Wrexham will be a walk in the park in comparison."