County desperate to end the drought
FIELD MILL 3pm
MANSFIELD v NEWPORT CTY
NEWPORT County fans have to cast their minds back five hours and 26 minutes for the last time they saw their team score a League Two goal and they will be praying they don’t have to wait too much longer to see another when they head to Mansfield today.
The goals have certainly dried up for County’s strike-force, with this week’s drab 0-0 home draw with Walsall the latest game to end without the ball reaching the back of the net.
In fact, you have to go all the way back to Joss Labadie’s 34th minute match-winner against Macclesfield Town on 28 January for the club’s last league goal.
That tells the story of why Michael Flynn’s men have failed to stay in the hunt for a play-off place this season.
County are currently in 13th place, stuck in the middle of a group of seven clubs between 11th and 17th who only have three points between them.
Mid table mediocrity is not what Flynn wanted, or anyone expected, but unless he can get his forwards back in the groove the frustration is going to continue.
The worry is that having only scored 10 goals away from home, the lowest number of any team in the division, the wait could continue beyond this weekend at a ground where they have only won once in 15 regular league matches.
Not that new recruit Dale Gorman sees it that way.
He believes that, a little bit like London buses, once one goal comes, more will follow.
“We couldn’t get the ball across the line against Walsall and it is just one of those things at the minute. But once one goes in, I think they’ll start flowing,” said Gorman.
“We’re creating good chances and we’re quite happy with our performance as a team.
“It was a really good reaction on Tuesday night after a disappointing defeat to Cambridge United.
“You can’t just blame the strikers or the attacking players – we’re all in it together.
“If we play like we did on Tuesday at Mansfield, I’m confident we can get something.
“If you play like that against most teams in this league, you will pick up points.
“And if we can keep putting in performances like that, there’s no doubt we will get results and start climbing that table.
“We’re going to get to work and see what we can improve on. There are still lots of points to play for and we’ve got games in hand as well.”