Bennett set to return as key duo miss out for Exiles

MATTY Dolan and Ed Upson will both miss Newport County’s long trek to Colchester United tonight (7.45pm) leaving the door open for Scot Bennett to finally return to action.

Inspirational skipper Dolan will miss the game due to a head injury picked up in the 1-1 draw at Crawley on Tuesday night, while Upson is ruled out after picking up a fifth yellow card. He now faces a one-match ban.

Bennett hasn’t played since damaging his foot nine weeks ago, but has been back among the substitutes for the last two fixtures without coming on. He is the natural replacement for Dolan in a back three for County if manager James Rowberry wants to stick to that tried-andtested formula.

Also ready to make a timely return to action is the experienced Robbie Willmott, who has spent time on the sidelines overcoming Covid. After a shaky second-half performance at Crawley, the experience of both Bennett and Willmott would be a welcome addition to the side.

“Scot brings a steeliness to us that we will utilise in due course. He is very, very low maintenance, but very high-performing at the level we are at,” said Rowberry.

“I’ve gone to two systems at the moment – 3-5-2 and 4-1-3-2. I can see Scot playing any of the three centre-back roles or any of the three midfield roles depending on the state of the game and style of opposition.

“We have got a little bit of flexibility tactically and I’m lucky about the education the players had before under Wayne Hatswell and Michael Flynn in terms of that flexibility. It’s now about me adding to that.”

It took a goal out of the blue from the League Two top scorer Dom Telford to rescue County at Crawley after they had dominated the first-half and then conceded a soft goal from a free kick at the start of the second.

The game at lowly Colchester will be their third in seven days and a win would lift the Exiles into fifth place ahead of the Saturday matches.

According to the man of the moment, Telford, the resolve and resilience displayed at Crawley was the reason he was given the chance to salvage a point in the 84th minute.

“You need to dig in for each other and I think we showed that in spells at Crawley. It’s the non-negotiables, you need to do the ugly side of the game,” said Telford.

“It was a point on the road at Crawley and hopefully we can get the three at Colchester to make Tuesday night’s point an even better one.”