All the details you need, ahead of Saturday's visit to Portsmouth.
Looking at the home side
Currently in 4th in the league, Portsmouth find themselves six points outside the automatic promotion places as the top three begin to pull away from the chasing pack. Games between the two sides are often close encounters with the last three games ending in 1-0 victories but County will take heart from the fact that they are yet to lose at Fratton Park, whilst Paul Cook’s side will be looking to keep their push for League 1 going, as they hope to do the double over Newport this season. They have plenty of depth in their scoring with four players having eight or more goals so far this season in all competitions. Marc McNulty is the top scorer with 10, Conor Chaplin has 9 and Gareth Evans and Gary Roberts have eight goals apiece.
Getting there
By car: Leave the M4 at Junction 13 and take the third exit at the roundabout for the A34 towards Newbury and Southampton. Stay on the A34 until it joins the M3 and then stay in the right hand lanes at Junction 13 to stay on the M3 and then at Junction 14 continue forward for the M27 to Portsmouth. Go along the M27 and ignore the M275 turn off towards Portsmouth town centre and continue onto the A27. At the junction with the A2030 turn right towards Fratton and continue along this road until eventually you will see the ground in front of you.
By train: There is a direct service between Newport and Fratton leaving at 08:44 in the morning arriving at 11:42. For the return journey leave Fratton at 17:31 and return to Newport at twenty five past eight in the evening.
Form Guide
Newport County – WDLW WDWLWL 17 points
Portsmouth – LDLWDLWDW W 15 points
Upcoming Milestones
Scott Barrow – 1 appearance for 175 professional appearances
Medy Elito – 1 goal for 25 professional goals
Dean Morgan – 4 goals for 75 professional goals
Tom Meechan – 1 goal for 75 professional goals
Mark Byrne – 4 appearances for 300 professional appearances
Portsmouth’s record against County
Played 6 Won 2 Drawn 0 Lost 4 Goals For 3 Goals Against 8
Saturday 17th October 2015: Newport County 0 – 1 Portsmouth
Saturday 10th January 2015: Newport County 1 – 0 Portsmouth (Byrne 68’)
Saturday 30th August 2014: Portsmouth 0 – 1 Newport County (Sandell 84’)
Saturday 29th March 2014: Newport County 1 – 2 Portsmouth (Yakubu 74’)
Saturday 14th December 2013: Portsmouth 0 – 2 Newport County (Chapman 65’, Flynn 68’)
Tuesday 12th November 2013: Newport County 3 – 0 Portsmouth (Washington 5’, 83’, Oshilaja 19’)
Last meeting
A goal on the stroke of half time was all that separated the two teams when Portsmouth came to Rodney Parade in October. The win left Portsmouth in 2nd in the league whilst Newport were still at rock bottom of the football league.
Last time out
It was a disappointing defeat for the Exiles as they fell to Barnet by three goal to nil. The visiting captain put them in front after only eight minutes after some slack defending by the Newport back line before they doubled their advantage in first half injury time from a rebounded penalty. They continued to press after the break and added a third with twenty minutes to go. The defeat means that nothing has changed in the bottom third of the table and with twelve games to go County remain 11 clear of the bottom two.
The Man in charge
Ben Toner is the referee for this fixture with his assistants Robert Whitton and Oleksandr Saliy. The fourth official is Nigel Lugg. Toner was in charge when County lost to Hartlepool earlier on this season in his only game in charge of the Exiles and he has never refereed a Portsmouth game before. So far this season he has been in the middle for 23 games handing out 81 yellow cards and 3 reds, one of which was on Tuesday night when he sent off Adebayo Akinfenwa.
Around the league (all times 3pm)
Accrington Stanley v Plymouth Argyle
Bristol Rovers v Mansfield Town
Exeter City v Carlisle United
Hartlepool United v Dagenham and Redbridge
Luton Town v Crawley Town
Morecambe v A.F.C Wimbledon
Northampton Town v Cambridge United
Oxford United v Leyton Orient
Wycombe Wanderers v Stevenage
Yeovil Town v Notts County
York City v Barnet