Newport County return to league action in quick succession as they host Carlisle United tomorrow afternoon (3pm).
The Exiles welcome the Cumbrians on the back of a positive 2-2 draw away at AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday night.
Following back-to-back away draws, County will be looking to make it a return at Rodney Parade as they look to build momentum going into the festive period.
Pre-Match Views
Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s game, Nelson Jardim said: "Going into tomorrow we have to keep building on what we’ve been doing.
“It’s a long time since we had a win at home and I want to get that winning spirit back tomorrow.
"We were in a tough spell in our last home games with injuries and suspensions, but we also missed two penalties too which would have put us four points better off should they have gone in.
“We’ve had two away games since then which have been really good. We have to carry on what we have been doing in terms of belief and performance, and we hope we can win tomorrow.”
Opposition Form
Carlisle United had a tricky start to the season with the Cumbrians currently sitting in 23rd place with just three wins all season.
However, the Blues have started to pick up form recently which has seen them go five games unbeaten (two wins and three draws). Two of Carlisle’s three wins have come away from home but have failed to win any of their last nine away Football League games against Newport County (D4 L5), since a 2-1 victory in April 1988.
Dominic Sadi, currently on loan at Carlisle United, has quickly established himself as a vital player for the Blues. Joint top scorer this season with two goals and an assist to his name, Sadi’s contributions have been pivotal to the team’s attacking efforts.
Head-to-Head
Newport County currently hold the bragging rights in this fixture with 11 wins, nine draws and eight losses. The Cumbrians away record against County is also in favour of the Exiles with Carlisle United failing to win any of their last nine away Football League games against them.
The first meeting between the two sides came in 1963, with the Cumbrians triumphing to a 4-1 victory at Somerton Park.
Shared Shirts
A number of players above played for both Carlisle and County. Tristan Abrahams had a notable journey with Newport County before moving to Carlisle United.
After joining the Exiles on a two-year contract in 2019, he made an immediate impact. He made his debut for the club on 3 August 2019 in a 2–2 draw against Mansfield Town, coming on as a second-half substitute. His first goal for Newport came just 10 days later in a 3–1 victory over Gillingham in the EFL Cup.
Abrahams' standout moment came on 12 November 2019, when he scored a remarkable hat-trick in Newport's 7–4 victory over Cheltenham Town in the EFL Trophy. His performances didn't go unnoticed, and in July 2020, he was named Newport County's Young Player of the Year for the 2019–20 season.
The forward's time at Newport continued to impress, with a series of memorable goals, including two against Swansea City in a 2–0 win in the EFL Cup on 5 September 2020. He also scored in successive wins over Championship clubs Watford (3–1) and Newcastle United (1–1, eventually losing on penalties). These performances cemented his reputation as a key figure for Newport in cup competitions.
In February 2021, Abrahams returned to Leyton Orient on loan for the remainder of the season, before making the permanent switch to Carlisle United in June 2021 after his contract with Newport ended. Abrahams joined the Cumbrians on a two-year deal, continuing his career in League Two.
A Memorable Encounter
A memorable victory over Saturday’s opponents, Carlisle United, came in March 2022, when Newport County secured a 2–1 win at Brunton Park.
The Cumbrians were in excellent form heading into the match, having won four consecutive league games, but they were undone by two well-taken goals from the Exiles.
Mickey Demetriou opened the scoring for Newport in the 15th minute, heading home from a set-piece to give the hosts an early advantage. Finn Azaz then doubled the lead for Newport just after the hour mark, finishing confidently to make it 2–0. Despite a late push from Carlisle, Omari Patrick pulled one back for the home side with just 10 minutes remaining, setting up a nervy finish.
However, Newport held firm to secure the three points, which kept them in League Two's top three on goal difference. For Carlisle, the defeat was a blow, as they dropped a place to 18th in the league.
Key Facts
- Newport County have won just one of their last seven Football League games against Carlisle United (D3 L3), failing to score in three of those matches.
- Carlisle United have failed to win any of their last nine away Football League games against Newport County (D4 L5), since a 2-1 victory in April 1988.
- After losing each of their final four home league games last season, Newport have since lost just two of their eight league outings at Rodney Parade this campaign (W4 D2).Carlisle United have failed to win any of their last 11 away league games against sides from Wales (D4 L7) since a 1-0 victory over Wrexham in August 2005.
