NEWPORT County AFC wing-back Aaron Lewis is hoping the Exiles can ride the wave of Wales’ World Cup optimism to climb the League Two table – starting today with a win over Gillingham, writes Andrew Penman.

Dafydd Iwan will be at Rodney Parade to sing Yma o Hyd, Wales’ official song for Qatar 2022, before kick-off this afternoon.

And Lewis is convinced County can tap into the patriotic pride sweeping the nation ahead of the tournament, which gets under way tomorrow.

“There’s not lots of Welsh people in the side but even the guys like OB [coach Mark O’Brien] and Mickey [Demeriou] buzz off that song as well so I think they’re pretty pleased that he’ll be there,” said the 24-year-old of Iwan’s special appearance.

“I love it. I’m quite patriotic. When Wales are playing at home, I go the games and that’s a big part of it.

“For him to be here, I’m buzzing. It will be great to hear it in person.”

Lewis came though the Swansea City youth system with several members of Rob Page’s squad and he has not given up hope of representing his country at senior level, having won 13 caps for the under-21s.

“I played with quite a few of them and it’s great to see them going to the World Cup,” he said.

“I’ll give them a good luck message and I’ll be watching all the Wales game and cheering them on.

“I’ve come through with them and to see them go on and do that, it’s something I can look at and try to emulate in my career.

“I feel like it’s a goal that I can set myself and if I have a couple of good seasons then you’re almost touching it.

“Playing for all the youth sides up to under-21s, you get a taste for representing your country.

“It’s in the back of your mind. Club football is the most important thing for me at this stage in my career, but it’s definitely something I’d like to do.”

The Exiles are 19th in the League Two table after last week’s home defeat to Stockport County and are just four points above the drop zone after 18 games.

Victory over Gillinghm, who are 22nd, would give Graham Coughlan’s men some breathing space at the bottom but Lewis is convinced that they won’t be involved in a relegation battle.

“We don’t really look at tables too much, it’s not that point in the season,” he said. “I feel like we’ve got a good group and things will start to turn.

“With the squad we’ve got, we shouldn’t be anywhere near that [a relegation battle].

“We’ve just got to trust each other and keep going game by game.”