We’ve got to keep getting better, insists Rowberry
JAMES ROWBERRY insists his Newport County side will have to keep improving if they are to gain automatic promotion into League One.
With a mere seven regular league games remaining, the Exiles currently occupy a play-off place and are three points off automatic promotion. Today, they host an Exeter City side who are seventh in the table, and Rowberry believes his side can’t afford to lose.
“What we have to do with Exeter, is just focus on our processes,” said Newport manager Rowberry.
“And I know that that can sound like a cliche, and it can maybe get a bit boring, but it’s the fact it’s the fact of the matter that we need to concentrate on what we do to get our performance is right and I’m confident that we can follow that up with results.
“We just need to keeping improving our strengths and fixing our weaknesses.
“We continuously do that on a daily basis.
“We think about every minute of every day what we can do to always get better and improve on our strengths.
“We just literally focus on the next game, and I keep saying to lads about staying in the moment.
“I’m not going to use this term about seven Cup finals and this that and the other I know it’s a sevengame season now for us.
“But it’s literally we’re going minute by minute game to game, we focus that way as a football club.”
Rowberry is full of respect for an Exeter City side who are currently managed by Matt Taylor and are only four points off top spot.
“They have a very good manager who has been there for a long time, he knows the division really well,” said Rowberry.
“They play three, five two whether they come to us and tweak their shape a little bit like a lot of teams have lately a lot of teams have come to us and try to match our central areas of pitch.
“Hartlepool went from 4-3-3, to 3-4-3 to combat our strengths. Bradford did the same, Mansfield did the same, and Stevenage have done the same.
“It’s a huge compliment to my players, and how well they are playing. But we have to prepare for every situation because that’s what teams seem to be doing against us.”
Newport have been boosted by the return to fitness of midfielder Jake Cain, and striker Courtney BakerRichardson.
Liverpool loanee Cain has been missing for three games, while Baker-Richardson was ruled out for the previous seven fixtures.
Rowberry insists he will be sensible with their return to play, and the duo may have to make do with a place on the replacements bench. “We have to be mindful of the fact he has only trained with the group three times this week,” said Rowberry.
“We have to be patient with Courtney, and it is the same with Jake, but they are available for selection.”