TAMWORTH V COUNTY (Tonight KO 7.45)

NEWPORT County boss Justin Edinburgh believes his side have developed a harder edge and now he wants them to hunt down the sides above them in the Blue Square Conference.

The Exiles are enjoying their best run of the season having gone seven games unbeaten in all competitions and they haven’t lost in five league games since a reverse at Luton on January 7.

County have moved out of the drop zone and surged to 16th in the table to top the mini-league of nine sides that a fortnight ago appeared to be cut adrift.

However, victory for Newport at Tamworth tonight would take them to within two points of the Lambs and Edinburgh is confident his players are now relishing a scrap with the sides above them rather than glancing worriedly over their shoulders.

Edinburgh’s side could yet book a place at Wembley for the FA Trophy final and with confidence soaring at Spytty Park he was in no mood to dampen the enthusiasm.

“We are playing with confidence and hunger and I want us to try and hunt down the teams above us,” he said.

“I have said all along that I was confident about our chances of staying in this division and there is a different atmosphere around the place, confidence is improving.

“We have a group of players who can take us where we want to be and there is a good desire to continue the unbeaten run. Tonight is another big game for us but we approach it with confidence.

“The supporters are right behind us, they’ve been immense and with an abundance of spirit I am confident we can chase the likes of Tamworth and Ebbsfleet down.

“Tamworth beat us early in my reign, but we are a different side now.”

Edinburgh is happy to hold fire on trying to bring in any more players on loan.

“On Saturday I had Darryl Knights sitting in the stand, that shows we don’t have any need to strengthen right at this minute because he’s a quality player,” he said.

County were hoping defender Ismail Yakubu would come through a 45-minute examination of his injured knee against Cwmbran Celtic last night in the semi-final of the Gwent Senior Cup.

Yakubu has missed five games through injury and suspension and with skipper Gary Warren out of tonight’s clash with a hamstring injury the returning Yakubu would be “a big, big boost to us”, according to his manager.

Edinburgh continues to face a dilemma in attack where he suddenly has an abundance of riches.

All five of his strikers in Nat Jarvis, Ryan Charles, Jake Reid, Elliott Buchanan and Jake Harris are fit which means Sam Foley is likely to be allowed to remain in midfield where he has been flourishing.

Paul Rodgers, surprisingly dropped on Saturday for the 1-0 win over Mansfield, could return with David Pipe moved back into midfield. Andy Sandell remains suspended and will also miss Saturday’s FA Trophy trip to Northwich Victoria.

County (from): Thompson, Potter, Rodgers, Baker, Hughes, Hatswell, Yakubu, Pipe, Minshull, Foley, Chapman, Knights, Rose, Greening, Jardim, Charles, Reid, Harris, Buchanan, Jarvis