NEWPORT COUNTY AFC manager Graham Coughlan changed a winning team for the clash with Mansfield to avoid long-term injuries as the end of the season nears.

The Exiles beat Hartlepool 2-0 on Saturday but the boss made four changes to his XI for the 2-1 loss to the Stags in League Two on Tuesday.

He brought Priestley Farquharson, James Waite, Nathan Moriah-Welsh and Calum Kavanagh into the team for Matt Baker, Aaron Wildig, Aaron Lewis and Omar Bogle.

Coughlan stuck with a settled team for the start of his reign after being appointed in mid-October but feels rotation is a necessity at the end of a draining campaign.

“It would have been running the risk of injury had I asked the same three or four lads to go again versus Mansfield,” he said.

“It was a little bit of rotation to try and get some freshness into the team and I thought that James Waite and Nathan Moriah-Welsh did well in there.

“The two lads were lively up front, particularly in the first half running down the sides.

“The last thing that we want at this stage of the season is muscular injuries, we want to be strong for the remaining fixtures and it was just a case of trying to protect them because we have had a lot of games, a lot of travel.

“We go to Doncaster this weekend, we’ve got another game here against Harrogate on Tuesday and then it’s away to Gillingham. I am just trying to protect the lads and energise the team.”

South Wales Argus: Newport County manager Graham CoughlanNewport County manager Graham Coughlan (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

Coughlan’s point was backed up by hamstring twinges for Declan Drysdale and Scot Bennett while Farquharson, who has been nursed through recent weeks, was also replaced.

County are already without Adam Lewis (hamstring), Offrande Zanzala (knee) and James Clarke (hamstring) and will be stretched for the run-in.

“You do run the risk of injury with a small squad,” said Coughlan. “The lads weren’t conditioned as well as I would have liked when I got hold of them. I just hope that’s the last of muscle injuries between now and the end of the season.”

County are now certain to be in League Two next season as they cannot be caught by bottom club Rochdale or one-from-bottom Hartlepool.

Saturday is a key day in the relegation scrap with Pools hosting Crawley, who are three points ahead of them in the last safe spot.

They are realistically in a duel to avoid the drop after Harrogate’s 3-0 win over Walsall on Tuesday.

Hartlepool then have a home game with Barrow and trip to promotion-chasing Stockport on final day while Crawley host Walsall and head to Swindon.