We preview Saturday's big game...
Newport County
Sky Bet League 2
Saturday 7th March 2015
The Lamex Stadium, Stevenage, SG2 8RH
Kick-off: 3pm
Ticket news:
Saturday’s match is a category B game and advance ticket sales end at 5pm on Friday. If you buy before matchday, you can save yourself a couple of quid on the ticket price so head across to Boro Tickets or the club shop and get in early! Ticket details here.
Team news:
Keith Keane joined the club earlier today on loan from Preston and is available for selection on Saturday. Read from him here.
Danny Johnson and Bruno Andrade also had their loans extended and will be available.
Jerome Okimo was back in light training today so could feature on Saturday after five weeks out with a torn medial knee ligament. Chris Beardsley also returns from a one match suspension.
GW gave little away as usual about injuries but said the treatment room was full and the training ground was quiet today - normal for a Thursday after a Tuesday night game.
He did say though that the three lads who were substituted on Tuesday (Deacon, Whelpdale & Martin) all went off with injuries.
The squad for the weekend will start to take shape tomorrow when the players’ fitness will be more accurately assessed.
View from the dressing room:
Their gaffer:
After Justin Edinburgh left Newport for Gillingham in January, Jimmy Dack has been appointed manager until the end of the season. Dack was assistant to Edinburgh and the duo enjoyed great success, reaching the FA Trophy final and winning the club promotion to the Football League for the first time in 25 years.
The story so far…
Newport have been in the play-offs places for most of the season as the South Wales club continue to enjoy life back in the Football League. The club have built on their 14th place finish last season, their first back in the Football League but results in recent weeks suggest the club may be sliding the wrong way.
Since ex-Gaffer, Justin Edinburgh left for Gillingham the clubs form has begun to decline. Defeat to Mansfield on Tuesday means their play-off spot is under jeopardy and their once impregnable home record has suffered lately also, their last four games at Rodney Parade has seen them pick up only one point.
It is worth pointing out though that Newport have won two big away games within the last month, at Wycombe and Burton.
Recent form:
Last time we met:
Boro were beaten 2-0 by Newport in December, which stretched The Exiles unbeaten run to nine games at the time. Aaron O’Connor headed the home side in front in the first half after slack defending from a long throw. Just before half-time County sealed the points as confusion in the backline allowed Jones to finish from close range.
Betting with Sky Bet:
Boro are favourites on Saturday, priced at 5/4 with official league sponsors, Sky Bet.
For Stevenage to repeat the 1-0 win on Tuesday, it's 6/1 for the same scoreline. Think it'll take as long for the deadlock to be broken? Sky Bet offer 18/1 for the first goal to be scored after the 81st minute.
Not going to the game?
Listen to live match commentary on the Boro Player service where you'll also find full match highlights and full post-match interviews on Sunday. We'll also be providing live minute-by-minute updates on our Twitter account, with the key incidents reported live on our Facebook page. The best match day photos will be posted on the club's Instagram account whilst short highlights of the game will be on our YouTube page on Sunday.