Newport County believe they can shock League Two leaders Doncaster Rovers at Rodney Parade on Friday (7.45pm).
Manager Graham Westley’s County are unbeaten in four games – two wins, two draws – and three points would lift them to third from bottom and out of the relegation zone.
Darren Ferguson is Doncaster’s manager and they have earned 39 points more than Newport so far this season. Rovers have only lost five times, while County have managed a mere five wins.
Doncaster’s goal difference is plus 24, County’s minus 14, but that will be enough to lift them ahead of Leyton Orient and Notts County if they can somehow conjure a home win.
Those figures hide the real improvement made by the Exiles through January.
The visitors have suffered only one loss in their last 12 games, but Westley says his players believe in themselves.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re playing the leaders or the side immediately above you – sides have all got something to play for,” he says.
“We go in as the fifth-best form side over four games in the league. There are six teams in the league who are unbeaten in four games.
“So we go in with good confidence, in good form and we go in believing that, providing we do our job right, we can win the game.
“I don’t think we’d have been in that situation going back five, six or eight weeks.”
Doncaster will also have to cope with the poor playing surface at Rodney Parade and that could help Newport.
“The pitch is difficult, we know that,” says Westley. “We’ve tried to build a way of playing on the pitch and learn a way of playing that is most effective.
“Last time out at home we won 3-1 and convincingly so against Hartlepool.”
Wing-back David Pipe, 33, says there is a desire and hunger within the Newport squad that will help their cause, saying: “The gaffer’s philosophy is different to me, but he has the same work ethic and determination as I’ve got.
“Regarding staying up, no one has got a crystal ball but I’m positive we can do so.”
Newport are at home against Doncaster and admits the playing surface is difficult, but Pipe says: “I’ve played on every type of football pitch and it is just 11 men against 11 men – the grass ain’t better for them than it is for us.
“It’s whoever adapts to the conditions the best and plays the correct football for that pitch [that comes out on top].
“Credit to Doncaster, we respect them but we won’t be overly respectful to the point where we’re in awe of them.
“I can’t wait for them to come here. I know quite a few of their players and they are technically gifted players.
“They’re top of the table for a reason but I know for a fact that they’re not going to want to come here as much as we want to mix it.
“If they want to come here and try to play then we’ve got lads who can do so as well, but I think we’ve got a great blend of people who can mix it and play and we’re getting results so bring it on.
