Former Cardiff City players Gareth Ainsworth and Joe Jacobson will test Newport County’s League Two play-off resolve at Adams Park this afternoon (Boxing Day, 3pm).
Wycombe manager Ainsworth, nicknamed ‘Wild Thing’ since before he played for the Bluebirds, send his team out against visitors who are unbeaten in four fixtures.
That nickname came from his appearance and his rock star ambitions. He played in a band called ‘Dog Chewed The Handle’.
Ainsworth won a League One play-off winners medal with Cardiff in 2003, although he missed the final against Queens Park Rangers at the Millennium Stadium after being sent off during the semi-final aggregate win against Bristol City.
Ainsworth has been delighted with the form of Welsh full-back Jacobson, saying: “Joe is such a consistent performer. He is playing some of the best football of his career at the moment and Michael is a seven out of 10 or above every week.”
Newport fought out a goalless draw against Lincoln City in their last match, but had defender Mark O’Brien sent off on a straight red card.
“I didn’t think it was a sending off, not by a mile,” he said. “It was a foul, a yellow card, I get that, but it was so far away from goal.”
Manager Michael Flynn rated County’s display against Lincoln ‘Our best performance of the season’.
His team are unbeaten in four matches, but Flynn has a couple of big selection decisions ahead.
O’Brien is suspended, while Ben Tozer went off injured against Lincoln and is doubtful. Flynn, though, says he is hopeful Tozer will be fit.
Goalkeeper Joe Day was outstanding against the Imps and kept a 10th clean sheet of the season, while captain Joss Labadie was named man of the match.
Newport County, possible: Day, Pipe, Butler, White, Bennett, Demetriou, Tozer or Owen-Evans, Labadie (capt), Dolan, McCoulsky, Nouble.
