Jamille Matt insists that two successive cup victories is the perfect confidence booster for Newport County AFC to go and get their League Two form back on track at Bradford City on Saturday.
The Exiles followed up Friday night’s Emirates FA Cup success with a victory over Brighton & Hove Albion U21s in the Leasing.Com Trophy as County continued their formidable record in the cup competitions.
County are winless in four League Two matches, but Matt believes the Exiles will head to Valley Parade with no fear based on their results in the past week.
On the victory over Brighton & Hove Albion U21s…
“I think you could say so [should have killed it off in regular time]. I had a few chances myself which I wasn’t happy with missing, but we got the job done – probably not the way we wanted to – because they missed a few chances as well.
“I think 0-0 in the end was a fair result if you look at that but just happy that we’re through to the next round.
“Kingy pulled off a couple of good saves for us as well, at the other end their keeper has made a few saves – both teams probably poor finishing if you want to put it that way. In the penalty shootout, when it mattered, we had our finishing right and glad to get through.
“Every game is a chance to come in and win and to stake a claim. Everybody wants to be playing week in week out and everyone wants to get more minutes under their belt.
“That was the main thing – we came in and stuck together.”
On County converting five perfect penalties…
“At the minute, we seem to be coming out on top of the penalty shootouts so that’s always a positive.
“It’s a really good result for us with a massively changed side and a lot of young lads came in so that’s the main thing is to get through to the next round and it’s positive.
“I wouldn’t say we work it on specifically, but we have prepared in the past where we know we might be in a shootout and we’ve practised them a couple of days before.
“A lot of the boys will say that in a penalty shootout, if you make a decision then just stick with it and make sure you’re confident.
“I always knew what I wanted to do with the ball, which was lift it, there is a risk of it going over, but if you lift it then the keeper can’t get near it because he’s so close. Pleased to see it go in.”
On attempting to take cup momentum into Saturday’s League Two clash at Bradford City…
“Winning breeds confidence and the boys are quite a confident group anyway. We’ll be going to Bradford confident; it’ll be a big crowd up there because they’re a massive club for this league.
“We’ll go there with confidence that we’re a good team and we can go there and get a result. We’re more of a marked team this year because of the success we’ve achieved in the past, people talk about Newport County AFC more now because of what we’ve achieved.
“We’ve got to step up to that challenge and kick on for the rest of the season trying to get more success so that more people are talking about us.
“Teams are worried about us when we go to play them because of what we’ve achieved and the players we’ve got in the squad.
“I have played at Valley Parade once before and scored so hopefully that’s a lucky omen for Saturday, if selected. It’s a good experience to play there and we’ll be going there trying to get a win.”