Great Escape hero Mickey Demetriou has been a rock at the back for the Exiles so far this campaign, playing every minute of league action to date.
He also played in both Carabao Cup ties, meaning the defender has only missed 90 minutes of football across the opening ten fixtures in all competitions, that coming in the Checkatrade game at Forest Green Rovers.
Demetriou has followed up his four goals from seven games last season with a solitary strike already this campaign, a 30-yard thunderbolt at Stevenage on the opening day.
Post-match, he spoke exclusively to iFollow Exiles about the Cheltenham game and the test Morecambe will pose to him and his fellow defenders on Saturday.
On the Cheltenham game…
“It was very difficult.
“We came up against a very good Cheltenham side that knew what they were doing. It was a great battle between the two sides.
“Joe has pulled off a great save right at the end there and gave us the three points.
“Ben’s also cleared another one off the line tonight – We had another one on Saturday with Pipey so it’s good that we’re doing that.
“But we need to stop giving opponents those chances and us having to clear them off the line. But we battled well, defended for our lives and took the important goal when it arrived.”
On Morecambe this weekend…
“We can’t think about the fact that they haven’t scored many goals so far this season.
“We need to make sure we know what our jobs are, go there and try and get three points again.”
On the defensive bond formed this season…
“We’ve got a good back four or back five, six if you include Joe.
“We’ve got players to come off the bench as-well, we’ve got a good squad here this year and its competition for places. Mark O’Brien is injured at the minute but he’ll be fighting his way back into the team.
“Benno [Scot Bennett] came in today after not playing for a couple of games and did well so it keeps us on our toes and we go again Saturday.”
Everybody at Newport County AFC was thrilled with the news that Mickey and his partner Aimee welcomed their first child, Theo, to the world on 25th August this year.
The Cheltenham game coincidentally happened to be Theo’s first game watching his father, with Demetriou thrilled to get the three points on the big occasion for him.
He said: “I haven’t spoken to him yet but I’m sure he loved it.
“I’ve got a picture from Aimee of him watching the game so that’s a cherished win for me.
“Fortunately, we got him the three points tonight, as-well as all the fans that turned up tonight, it was a horrible night for them to come and watch a game of football so thankfully for them we got them the three points.”