Nelson Jardim | Home games are massive for us

Nelson Jardim

Head Coach Nelson Jardim is hoping the feel good factor at Rodney Parade will be play a key part as they look to return to winning ways. 

The Exiles return to home soil on Saturday afternoon against MK Dons after over month of football away from NP19.

County enter the fixture on a four-game unbeaten run after draws against Grimsby, Notts County, Wimbledon and Colchester. 

And Jardim is looking forward to being back in front of the home fans tomorrow afternoon, as his team to look to secure their first home win since October. 

“It means a lot to be back home tomorrow,” he said. “For a club like ours, home games are massive for us in achieving our objectives. 

“The support from the fans at Rodney Parade has been invaluable, giving us energy and positivity. It’s a real boost for the players. 

“It’s been a while - over a month now, always on the road, especially with the Carlisle game being called off. But it’s always good to be back home, especially with the support from the fans - we’ve really missed that.

“Home games are vital. Those away points are good, but winning at home is key, and that’s what we’ll aim for.

“It’s been a bit of a disjointed few weeks with the cancellations and all the travelling, but it shouldn’t go unnoticed that we’re starting to show consistency, particularly in our defensive shape. 

“We should all be pleased and proud of how we’re progressing. Consistency is crucial for us, and we just need to keep building on what we’ve been doing.

“Looking at those draws, they’ve been good ones: Notts County, Wimbledon, Colchester, and even Grimsby at home, given how well they’ve done this season. Before that, Fleetwood. Any of those games could have gone either way.

“We’re close to winning but equally close to losing. The main thing is to stay consistent in style and keep improving in areas where we’re not quite there yet. 

"Hopefully, we’ll see the rewards further down the line. Our defensive performances and record have been improving, which was a key area for us.”