Fired-up County face a crucial trip to the north west for a battle with Fleetwood at Highbury Stadium on Saturday - boosted by the return of manager Christian Fuchs who has injected new belief that his side can chalk up a consecutive away maximum.
The Exiles put up an outstanding team display to gun down promotion-seeking Salford City 3-1 off Moor Lane ten days ago the victory following the three away League Two triumphs at Crawley, Accrington, and improving Harrogate earlier in the season.
Despite a blip against Cambridge United at NP19 last weekend, the Port's form at Rodney Parade since Christmas has dramatically upturned - the wins over Crewe Alexandra and Chesterfield garnished with tight goal-less draws against Barnet and Grimsby Town.
County have exchanged blows with the top three sides in their section - leaders Bromley were so fortunate to shade Fuchs' men 2-1 on New Year's Day, Port denied an obvious spot-kick at Swindon a minute before the Robins' opener at the County Ground, late defensive lapses and a golden chance missed robbing them of deserved reward against Neil Harris' U's, a a side beaten just once in 18 league encounters.
Every reason for Newport, with 14 games, 42 points available for gathering, to still believe they can reach lower mid-table before their date with Barrow at Holker Street in early May then.
Leaving his sick-bed by last Monday, former Austrian international skipper Fuchs reflected, “It was a tough one to take, especially because I couldn't be at the game [with Cambridge] with the boys. Health comes first over everything else,”
Fuchs, who won a Premiership title with Leicester City ten years ago this spring, did, though, bravely pulled strategy string from his home saying, “I tried to give my input as much as I could. I was in contact with them at halftime. It was interesting to see quite a few more things on TV, with the replays showing the speed of the game and the pitch-side action that you don't necessarily see in real time.”
Fuchs and number two Mark Smith have always argued the Port can, on the day, live with the best in English football's fourth tier.
Reflecting on the 2-0 reverse to Cambridge, Fuchs said, “It's just disappointing how it came about. Before they scored the first goal, we could have scored once or twice. The game could have gone a different direction. They [Cambridge] are a very good side, very composed, made the right decisions, barely lost the ball. The chances they had were mostly from outside the box. I was really pleased with our defensive performance. If we had gone up one-nil, we might be talking about a completely different story.”
County have finally emerged from a testing five-fixture schedule, of course. A proud Fuchs observed, “The way we played over that stretch of five games was very competitive. We could have gone away from every game with something, but individual errors cost us. Conceding twice in two games back-to-back hurts, especially when momentum is on the line. If you can keep it at one nil for an extended period, you might get a set piece or something from it. Those second goals [ against Cambridge] obviously hurt us.”
Realistic Fuchs anticipates a real examination against Matt Lawlor's Cod Army, a gripping argument disputed just off Blackpool's northern shoreline. He said, “It is going to be a tough game for us. It is going to be a physical game. You have to take it the way it is and put up a fight and run for your life. Every game is a cup game for us,”
Identifying the dangers of a challenge at Fleetwood, including the opponent's playing style and Highbury's sometimes gluey pitch, Fuchs said, “We have technical players who can handle the conditions, and players who really run hard and fight for every role. Every ball, every chance must be contested.”
County remain tight-lipped over squad availability with players given every chance to join the travelling party. Addressing this, Fuchs declared, “We have to make the best of what we have. Starting is a big question mark, but we need players available to manage minutes. It’s crucial that players can play 90 minutes because something can happen early in a game, and then they need to play 80 more. A player has real value if they’re available for 90 minutes.”
Sweeping negatives aside, and with a positive mindset, Fuchs continued, “I've seen a lot of improvement already. We can play good football, combine from the back into the final third, and create chances. Whoever steps on the field gives everything for the club. As long as we create chances, there is a lot of belief in the team. Fans are entitled to their opinions, but they should recognise the effort the boys put in.”
Stressing resilience as a key element, Fuchs boomed, “Feeling sorry for yourself should not be in the vocabulary in this business. If you concede, you must keep going. Some teams down one nil in the Champions League Final have turned it around in extra time. It's about how you react and push forward.”
Ultimately, Fuchs’ message is crystal clear. Newport County still control their destiny. “We still have it in our own hands,” he said. The Amber Army will be watching, providing the extra energy and belief that could help the Exiles succeed."
