Newport County are coming home – and Exiles fans are ready to embrace their team again.
Three of their next four League Two fixtures are at Rodney Parade.
County were followed to Lancashire in midweek by 48 supporters and the club thanked those who made the trip by presenting them all with a club away shirt.
Fans had booed their team and walked out early during the 4-0 home defeat against Leyton Orient, but since then Newport-born Michael Flynn has taken charge.
He has steered the team to away wins against Crewe and Morecambe.
Now they play Blackpool on Saturday and then Luton Town the following Tuesday, with at home. A trip to Portsmouth is then followed by a fixture against Crawley Town at home.
County’s Amber Army are set to turn out in force to back their team.
Newport are no longer bottom of League Two having moved above Orient on goal difference.
County are still in grave danger of going down, but caretaker-manager Flynn has fired up hope and belief among his players.
Morecambe manager Jim Bentley was celebrating his 300th game in charge, but Flynn’s boys arrived to spoil the party at Morecambe’s Globe Arena.
Bentley has been at Morecambe for 15 years as player and now manager. Home fans paid tribute with a minute’s cheering and applause, but County went home with the points.
“I’m absolutely gutted,” said Bentley. “We came up against a team that’s hard to play against, who are playing with a freedom because all the blame for them being at the bottom has been laid at the ex-manager’s feet.”
If Graham Westley is taking the blame for Newport’s predicament, Flynn is the man planning a great escape.
County are seven points from League Two safety thanks to Ryan Bird’s goal at Morecambe.
The key moment came after 67 minutes when Alex Samuel turned a defender and was pulled down.
Referee Peter Bankes pointed to the penalty spot and Bird scored from the spot-kick, firing his shot down the middle.
“The boys were outstanding,” said Flynn. “We had enough chances to wrap up the game earlier, but the boys showed great character.
“We kept a clean sheet. I was very nervous, but tried not to show it.
“It’s a brilliant win. We will keep fighting and we will keep scrapping.”
Morecambe: Roche, Whitmore, Edwards, Winnard, Wakefield (Duckworth 54), Fleming, Rose, Ellison (Molyneux 68), Evans (Murphy 78), Mullin, Turner. Subs not used: McGowan, Nizic, Conlan, Wildig.
Newport County: Day, Pipe, Nelson, O’Brien (Barnum-Bobb 80), Butler, Owen-Evans, Bennett, Labadie, Rigg (Demetriouat 70), Samuel (Williams 87), Bird. Subs not used: Randall, Jackson, Bittner, Gordon.
Referee: Peter Bankes
Attendance: 1,080
League Two – bottom seven only
All teams play 46 fixtures – two relegated
18 Yeovil Town 36 -9 43
19 Crewe 37 -13 42
20 Hartlepool 37 -13 41
21 Notts County 37 -24 40
22 Cheltenham Town 37 -13 39
23 Newport County 36 -18 32
24 Leyton Orient 37 -23 32
Newport County’s remaining fixtures (13)
March
Saturday 18 v Blackpool (home)
Tuesday 21 v Luton (home)
Saturday 25 v Portsmouth (away)
April
Saturday 1 v Crawley Town (way)
Saturday 8 v Exeter City (away)
Friday 14 v Yeovil Town (home)
Monday 17 v Plymouth Argyle (away)
Saturday 22 v Accrington Stanley (home)
Saturday 29 v Carlisle United (away)
May
Saturday 6 v Notts County (home)
