Supporters will be looking forward to a Saturday afternoon game at Rodney Parade. Ebbw Vale are the visitors and we can be sure of seeing a hard fought game between two evenly matched sides. The Eugene Cross Park outfit will be without their winger, Toby Fricker, who has secured a full-time contract at Bristol. Although his strong carrying and big hits will be missed I’m sure that everyone at Ebbw will wish him well and hope that he can do for his new team what he consistently did for them.
The teams are very close in the league and both are looking to achieve a top-six place to ensure participation in the new cross border competition involving the new Scottish sides. Newport has the harder fixtures left to play but they are all at home so it will be interesting.
The Black & Ambers were stunned by a very good Swansea outfit in their last game and will have welcomed the break last week. The squad is still hit by injuries but the coaching team can still select a strong team.
It’s good to see Joe Bartlett continuing his comeback from injury with a place on the bench.
Newport: Lewis Smout, Henry Palmer, Garin Harris, Andrew Mann, Dan Partridge, Josh Skinner, Kyle Tayler, Rhys Jenkins, Geraint Watkins, Matt O’Brien, Harri Lang, Chay Smith, Tom Pascoe, Jon Morris, Elliot Frewen.
Replacements: Jack Williams, Evan Whitson, Tom Piper, Joe Bartlett, Mathew Reed, Ryan James, Haydn Simons, Andy Evans.
Kick-off: 2:30 PM
Referee: Richard Deacy
AR1: Gerwyn Taylor
AR2: Neil Perkins