A setback... but don’t write us off yet, says County boss
NEWPORT County boss James Rowberry insists nobody should write off his side’s League Two promotion hopes, despite Saturday’s 1-0 reverse to Exeter City at Rodney Parade.
Tim Dieng headed in from a free-kick on 72 minutes to seal all three points for the Grecians, who are chasing automatic promotion, and condemn County to a second successive home defeat.
The result saw Rowberry’s men slip from fifth to eighth in the table and out of the play-off places but they remain just three points behind third-placed Port Vale.
And the manager is adamant that he and his players are not going to give up on the chance to take the club back to the third tier of English football for the first time since 1987.
“It was disappointing to concede a goal from a set-play and I was disappointed with the result, but I can’t fault the lads’ effort,” said Rowberry.
“One thing the supporters can never turn around and say is that the lads didn’t give their all. We didn’t get the result, but we just have to go again.
“We still have six games to go and will see where we are after Rochdale (on the final day).
“It’s going to go down to the wire, so we just have to dust ourselves down,” he added.
“I have to reflect a bit, as do the players and staff, but we move forward to Swindon. Every game is a big game and we just have to focus on getting our performance right and eradicating the mistakes.
“We still created chances but the choices in the final third need to be executed better, and that’s something we will work on next week and I am sure we will get it right.”
Saturday’s loss came after a 0-0 draw at Bradford City the week before and a 3-2 home defeat to Hartlepool United before that, but Rowberry is certain his side can rediscover the form to keep them in the promotion mix.
“I block out the noise and focus on what we have to do for the next game,” he said. “People have written Newport County off before and we have seen how that has turned out.
“We will just do our jobs, move forward, and try to put things right for Swindon. There is very much a Welshness, a Newport mentality that we have got – we will keep fighting to the wire.”
Striker Courtney Baker-Richardson, who came off the bench against Exeter, should be fit to start at Swindon this coming Saturday, while Liverpool loanee Jake Cain will be also be fit to return.
Swansea City loan star Oli Cooper should be back for the Good Friday fixture at home to Crawley Town.