Newport County are ready to inflict more pain on Carlisle United.
The visitors have been concerned about their visit to Rodney Parade as they prepared for a 600-miles round trip to South Wales this week.
Carlisle have lost 2-1, 1-0 and 2-0 in three visits to the Parade
“Our history isn’t great at Newport,” said Carlisle defender Gary Liddle.
Newport have a solid home record this season with four wins, three draws and two defeats, while Carlisle have been successful away and only Swindon Town have won more League Two games on the road.
Manager Keith Curle believes his United team can flourish on the newly-laid pitch which is a mix of grass and artificial fibres.
Curle believes his captain, Danny Grainger, will be fit to face the Exiles after recovering from a rib injury.
County are two points outside the League Two play-off positions, three ahead of Carlisle.
“I think 66 per cent of their goals have been scored from set-pieces,” says Curle. “Newport are a high-energy team, slightly confrontational, like to get the ball forward, get people in [good] areas and they want to put the ball into the box.
“They’re creative, competitive and like to get the first contact in both boxes, have willing workers and willing runners.
“Newport are competitive in the final third, competitive in midfield.
“They try to get the crowd going by playing high-energy football. We can match that and play that same level of football. Likewise, if it turns into a bit of a game of football, we can do that as well.
“Their main threat is to get confrontational. You can’t take a backwards step because that could let them into our 18-yard box and invite pressure.
“We have built a reputation whereby we can mix it, go toe-to-toe, play confrontational football. Likewise, we can earn the right to play in the right areas when it is on.”
Carlisle could run out in front of a big home attendance at Rodney Parade. Anybody who attends the League match against Carlisle will be given priority when tickets go on sale for the FA Cup tie against Leeds. That should ensure a good attendance on Saturday.
County manager Michael Flynn mixed up the training a little this week by taking his squad to Mo’s Boxing and Fitness Academy in Newport.
“We have a lot of games coming up and have to be careful how much work they do on their legs,” said Flynn.
“We decided to go down there for a good workout, in terms of calories burned and energy used up, without putting the pressure on their legs as much.
“Hopefully we come out fighting on Saturday.”
Newport County, probable: Day, White, O’Brien, Demetriou, Pipe, Labadie (capt), Dolan, Tozer, Butler, McCoulsky, Nouble. Subs, from: Reynolds, Foulston, Owen-Evans, Bittner, Rigg, Willmott, Amond, Bennett.
