Newport will look to make it back-to-back wins on Saturday when they travel to Plough Lane to take on AFC Wimbledon.
On Tuesday night, the team was in fine form in front of goal, hitting the net five times, with four different players getting their names on the scoresheet.
Lively performances from Offrande Zanzala and Seb Palmer-Houlden off the bench will give the gaffer food for thought. Both players were instrumental in the win, with Zanzala teeing up Harry Charsley for the fourth and Seb grabbing the fifth in stoppage time.
Manager's Comments
"We're expecting a really tough game [on saturday]," began the manager.
"Wimbledon were one of the best teams we've had here [Rodney Parade] earlier this season.
"We didn't turn up when we last played them and they subsequently flew into a two-nil lead, they were at it, we weren't. They are a very good team and they are where they are in the league for a reason.
"They have bags of experience, not only in the dugout but on the pitch too," he explained.
"They have one or two players we like, but credit to them, they actually sold one of their top players in Ali-Al Hamidi and they've replaced him well.
"We're going to come up a very well organised and tough team in AFC Wimbledon tomorrow afternoon," he concluded.
You can watch Graham Coughlan's full pre-match interview online HERE.
Opposition Form
AFC Wimbledon arrive at Rodney Parade in good form. The Dons are unbeaten in their last four games, winning three and drawing one. They sit precariously in seventh place, with just two points separating them from the chasing pack.
Johnnie Jackson’s team’s last game was against Gillingham on Tuesday night, with Omar Bugiel grabbing a brace to secure the 2-0 win. It is also worth noting that The Dons have kept four consecutive clean sheets.
Ronan Curtis has been a major threat for the London club since his arrival in January. The former Portsmouth man has grabbed a goal and two assists in his last four games, including a dramatic late winner against MK Dons at Plough Lane.
Ticket Info
You can find out about tickets for Saturday’s trip to AFC Wimbledon here.
| Age Category | Price |
| Adult | £25 |
| Over 65 | £17 |
| Student | £17 |
| Under 17 | £1 |
Tickets can be purchased HERE.
Last Time Out
Our last game with AFC Wimbledon was a 2-2 draw at Rodney Parade back in September. A first-half brace from James Tilley gave the visitors a 2-goal lead before Will Evans halved the deficit just before the break. Ten minutes into the second half, Omar Bogle pulled us level with a delightful chip over Alex Bass to ensure the points were shared. You can revisit that game in this week’s Season Rewind.
Head to Head
We have battled with AFC Wimbledon 14 times over the years, with our first clash coming in the National League South in 2008/09, a game The Dons would go on to win 4-1. Our first win against Wimbledon would come five years later when we defeated them 4-1 at Rodney Parade in 2014. Our overall record with Wimbledon is two wins, seven draws, and five losses.
Played for Both
Several players have lined up for AFC Wimbledon and Newport County. One player that will be popular for both is Lee Minshull. Minshull played a key role in helping both teams return to the Football League, playing for both teams in their winning National League play-off finals.
He only played 20 games for The Dons before coming on loan to us, but he would go on to make 133 appearances in his three-year spell at Rodney Parade, scoring 14 times.
Other key names to have played for both teams are Darren Jones and Anthony Hartigan. Jones played for us over two spells, spending time at Wimbledon between them, while Hartigan had a brief loan spell at Rodney parade but would go on to make 118 appearances for Wimbledon.