County look to round off good week

KENILWORTH ROAD 3pm LUTON TOWN v NEWPORT COUNTY NEWPORT COUNTY are back on the road this afternoon bidding to make it three wins in seven days when they rock up at Kenilworth Road to face one of the favourites for promotion in the shape of Luton Town.

Mike Flynn’s Exiles backed up last Saturday’s 1-0 home win over Grimsby by coming from behind to earn a 2-1 win at Crawley on Tuesday night – a result that catapulted them back into the League Two play-off places.

With both having picked up five wins and 18 points from their first 10 league matches, only goal difference separates Luton in fifth from County in seventh. Ahead of today’s clash with the Hatters, who are managed by Welshman Nathan Jones, County boss Flynn said: “I’m sure we are going to go there and give Luton a good game.

“They are one of the bigger spenders in the league, they are a big club with big crowds but we’ll go there and hopefully spoil their party.”

Meanwhile Newport have been dealt a blow this week with the news that on-loan Brentford midfielder Reece Cole requires an operation on a knee injury.

The 19-year-old bagged the winner on his debut in the 1-0 win at Coventry back in August, one of four league appearances he has made, but hasn’t featured since the 0-0 draw with Wycombe Wanderers on September 9.

Cole, who originally joined until January, aggravated the problem in a behind-closeddoors friendly against Forest Green Rovers last week.

Striker Marlon Jackson is also still out as he recovers from a hamstring problem although Flynn is hopeful that defensive duo Mark O’Brien and David Pipe, who were both forced off at Crawley, will be available for selection.

After making their best start to a season since returning to the Football League, excitement is building around the club – but Flynn isn’t getting carried away.

“It’s a great start, better than everybody else expected but all we do is take one game at a time and concentrate on ourselves.”