Bridgend-born Josh Yorwerth, a former Cardiff City and Merthyr Town defender, faces a Welsh challenge tonight (Tuesday).
Centre-half Yorwerth is in the Crawley Town team for their League Two match against Newport County at Checkatrade Stadium (7.45pm).
The 22-year-old former Wales youth international is described as ‘a rock’ by Crawley manager Harry Kewell, who says: “Josh wears his heart on his sleeve and was disappointed that he wasn’t in the team at the start.
“His opportunity came through a mishap to Mark Connolly, he took it and has been excellent ever since. He’s been our rock at the back, strong, winning headers, passing the ball out.
“He’s had one little slip in the game (against Notts County), but other than that I can’t fault him. He’s been perfect and hopefully that continues.
“He has a good head on his shoulders and wants to learn. He is keen go and be better and we’re working on that.”
Yorwerth has signed a two-year contract extension and is committed to Crawley until 2020.
Newport manager Michael Flynn’s will meet up with two former County men in Warren Feeney and Mark Randall at Crawley.
Feeney, Kewell’s assistant at Crawley, is an ex-Newport manager who played for Leeds United, Cardiff City and Swansea City, while Randall helped the Exiles beat relegation under Flynn last season before joining Crawley.
The midfield player went on from the bench during Crawley’s 2-1 win at Barnet on Saturday.
The West Sussex club are 17th in the League Two table, while Newport are eighth, just outside the play-offs.
“Harry and Warren are starting to get their Crawley team together and a Tuesday night game away in League Two is going to be tough,” says Flynn.
Scot Bennett, Dan Butler, Lamar Reynolds and Shawn McCoulsky could all be involved for Newport, but Reece Cole and Marlon Jackson are out.
“We have three games in a week and I have thought about that with my selection,” said Flynn, whose team are at Crawley this evening and go to Luton Town on Saturday.
“Joss Labadie and Mark O’Brien – are they going to make three games in a week? I doubt it. Ben Tozer? I doubt it.
“We had to be careful in our selection and we got it right against Grimsby.
“I was pleased with everything – the chances we created, the amount of second balls we won and the decision-making on the ball.
“It was a solid performance and apart from missing a few chances it couldn’t have gone much better.”
The return of Labadie and O’Brien was important for Newport against Grimsby and Flynn said: “They are two leaders and they bring that mentality. They were both exceptional.”
Newport County, probable: Day, Pipe, Bennett or O’Brien, Demetriou, White, Willmott, Labadie, Dolan, Rigg, McCoulsky, Amond. Subs, from: Bittner, Butler, O’Brien or Bennett, Tozer, Reynolds, Quigley, Nouble.
