In-form Newport staying calm ahead of big Notts County clash

The Exiles will look to extend their run in a key week at Rodney Parade that pits them against tenth-placed Notts County tonight (kick-off 7.45pm) then ninth-placed Gillingham on Saturday.

Graham Coughlan’s side last lost in the league at Wrexham on the weekend before Christmas and have climbed the table thanks to their seven-game unbeaten streak.

They have won their last four and are being fuelled by competition for places after getting through their autumn injury crisis.

County are just four points off Harrogate, who are in the final play-off spot, but face a tough run of games that pits them against promotion contenders that are above them in the table.

“There is a long way to go and a lot of games to be played. Things happen over the course of a season when you go on runs,” said level-headed right-back Shane McLoughlin.

“It’s just about picking up as many points as we can and ticking towards the target that have been set, which is beating what we had last year and finishing higher than we did last year.”

County are fresh from victories against Doncaster, Wrexham, Swindon and Walsall, who they stunned with three first-half goals at Bescot Stadium on Saturday.

“As the gaffer said afterwards, it’s next game up,” said McLoughlin. “We are in a good run of form since mid-December after we got some more bodies.

“We are getting stronger as the weeks go on and it’s enjoyable at the moment but they are all tough games – Walsall was 3-0 in the first half but they put it up to us and it was a difficult game.

“We did well to see out the tough periods and it will be the same on Tuesday, there will be good and bad times but we have to stick together when things get tough.”

McLoughlin has played in every League Two game and has missed just two fixtures all season, when an unused substitute against West Ham U21s in the EFL Trophy and Brentford in the Carabao Cup.

However, he insists that the options available to Coughlan are driving standards up at County.

“It’s nice to have that competition and the levels have stepped up in training,” said the Irishman, who is being kept on his toes by Southampton loanee Lewis Payne.

“There were times when it was difficult and I am sure the gaffer would have liked to put his boots on himself at some stages when we were low on bodies. It’s now a good and strong squad.”

County midfielder Harry Charsley (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

Midfielder Harry Charsley was one of those that watched on from the sidelines in the autumn after suffering an ankle injury.

The 27-year-old was out from the start of September through to the end of November when results were patchy.

“There were a few injuries and the team was changing every week, so we couldn’t get that rhythm,” said the Merseysider, who went up through the League Two play-offs with Port Vale in 2022.

“Now we’ve got almost a full squad and really good competition for places. When that happens, we are going to be competing hard every week.

“The gaffer has told us just to keep going and not to get carried away, to focus on our next game and see where that takes us.

“We’ll have to be right on it against Notts County back at Rodney Parade when hopefully the fans will back us like they did at Walsall, because they were brilliant.”

League Two fixtures: Accrington v AFC Wimbledon, Barrow v Forest Green, Bradford v MK Dons, Colchester v Grimsby, Crawley v Walsall, Gillingham v Swindon, Mansfield v Harrogate, Newport County v Notts County, Salford v Doncaster, Stockport v Crewe, Sutton v Wrexham, Tranmere v Morecambe.