Dolan: Newport County will show character against Carlisle

The 19th-placed Exiles are on a four-game losing streak in all competitions and the pressure is building on manager James Rowberry because of their poor form on home soil.

Last weekend Barrow triumphed 2-0 at Rodney Parade, making it nine defeats in County’s last 10 games of league football in Newport.

Dolan has been used to challenging at the top of the table since signing in the summer of 2017 and the skipper is confident that the fighting spirit in the club’s DNA will help them avoid a battle at the other end.

“The character will come through. It's a good dressing room with good characters,” said the 29-year-old, who is a double-centurion for the Exiles along with fellow stalwarts Joe Day, Mickey Demetriou, Scot Bennett and Robbie Willmott.

“These are frustrating times but we stay positive and we will be fine. Football is all about challenges, you get them when flying high and get them the other way when the chips are down.

“We are not going to shy away from anything; I don't think anybody ever would at this football club.”

UPBEAT: Matty Dolan is confident County will climb the table (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

There were some boos at the final whistle of the loss to Barrow, when County failed to respond to a sucker punch on the stroke of half-time.

“Everyone is frustrated but we will stick together as a group - staff, players, everyone - and we will keep pushing,” said Dolan. “We will give everything, as we have always done at this club.

“There is outside noise in football all the time. We are realists in that changing room, we are not silly or naive.

“We know what we have to put right and we know we need to put some points on the board. We will give everything we can to do that.”

Carlisle are 13th in the table with 13 points after winning three, drawing four and losing just once.

County attacking midfielder Aaron Wildig has missed the last four games with a groin injury and remains "touch and go" for Saturday, declared Rowberry.