Newport County head coach Nelson Jardim has emphasised the importance of maintaining focus and consistency as his side look to make it four consecutive league wins when they host Port Vale at Rodney Parade on Saturday (3pm).
Despite a slight setback in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy earlier this week, Jardim remains optimistic about continuing the club's strong form in the league.
Reflecting on the team's current run, Jardim acknowledged that while it's encouraging to see the positive results, there's no room for complacency.
"It’s too early to look at the league,’’ he said. “We are doing well, but I have told the players to keep going and don’t get complacent. We have to ensure we don’t relax in training, and that should help us to continue.’’
The head coach also highlighted how well his players have adapted to his new style of play and the progress they've made in training since the start of the season.
"I’ve seen from the first week that they enjoy training and that they are growing each week. What I want to see now is that we can reproduce in matches what we did for the first 20 minutes at Morecambe or even the first half against Cheltenham. We need to ensure that what we are doing for 20 minutes we are capable of doing for 90 minutes," he explained.
Jardim will be without James Clarke (injured) and Matt Baker who is away on international duty with Wales, while Jamie Miley, who came off injured against Cheltenham, will be assessed ahead of the game.
"Clarke is obviously a blow, but Baker is away representing his country which we are proud to see. He’s developing well with us, and now he can take that into playing for his country, so we couldn’t be happier for him. We have a strong squad, which means there will be other players ready to step up," he assured.
"We have a lot of young players, and it’s important to have experienced senior players like Aaron (Wildig) and Bryn (Morris) who can lead on the pitch and transmit the values of the club. They lead by example in training, showing that everybody must fight for their position.’’
As for Saturday's opponents, Port Vale, Jardim is cautious despite their mixed start to the season.
“Port Vale have a very good squad and have been unlucky so far,’’ he added. “They have some key players, some who I know like George Byers, and it’s going to be a very difficult game. It’s important that we don’t relax and aren’t complacent.’’
Tickets are still available and can be purchased HERE.