Wales On Sunday

Flynn hoping Matt won’t put gloss on away win in his return with Rovers

- ROB COLE Football Writer sport@walesonlin­e.co.uk

NEWPORT County old boy Jamille Matt will be looking to return to Rodney Parade to haunt his former team mates and keep Forest Green Rovers on the title trail today (1pm).

With 10 league goals in 26 games this season, the former Exiles striker has been central in his new club’s promotion push and they are currently four points clear of County.

The infamous Rodney Parade pitch has been causing Michael Flynn’s side all sorts of problems since December, but Matt will know all about the pitfalls and perils of playing on it after his two-year spell at Newport, where he scored 26 goals in 98 appearance­s.

“Jamma is having a good season at Forest Green and he is a good lad. He’s in double figures in goals, and we know all about him, but I just hope he has an absolute stinker,” said Flynn.

“If we win it is going to make it very, very interestin­g. We were fifth coming into this weekend, so we are having a good season.

“If we were 18th then you could say the confidence has gone. Nobody has more belief in this side than I have.”

Wing-back Liam Shepherd will return to play against his former club after serving a three-match suspension and his ability and experience on the right-hand side of the pitch could be vital.

The width that he and Ryan Haynes provide the team, along with their crosses, have been key to the success of County to date this season.

Delivery out of the mud and sand at Rodney Parade is much more difficult than it was at the start of the season and Shepherd admits he has been wearing his longest studs ever since the start of December.

“We’ve changed our style of play a little bit because of the circumstan­ces of the pitch. I’ll be taking my bucket and spade with me if I’m playing this weekend,” said Shepherd.

“It is like running on a sandy beach and I’ve had to become cleverer with my runs because of that.

“I’m getting into position before the ball arrives and thinking more on my feet.

“It is the same for both teams, though, and you can’t always blame the pitch. You have to find a way to win on it and it will be interestin­g to see how Forest Green adapt their game.”

“Spirits are high still, but if we could get two wins on the bounce it would make a difference.”

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