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Interviews

Cox updates ahead of Newport away trip

26 April 2021

Interviews

Cox updates ahead of Newport away trip

26 April 2021

First team manager Neil Cox has provided an update on team news and previewed the trip to take on Newport County on Tuesday night (6.30pm kick-off).

Club News

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27 April 2021

Speaking after Saturday's defeat against Walsall, he confirmed defenders Manny Onariase and Jai Rowe had picked up knocks, and Cox gave the latest on them in his Monday pre-match press conference.

He told iFollow Iron: "Manny seems fine, so that's good. Jai has had a really big bang on the head and it looks more like his eye which has bruised up a lot, so we will have a look tomorrow before we name the side. Other than that, everybody else came out of the Walsall game okay and we'll see who's fresh ahead of the match.

"We've trained on the pitch this morning and worked on things that we expect from Tuesday night (against Newport). We've also worked on what we need to be better with that we haven't done well over the last three or four games, and are focusing on what we need to do. We're being positive about us and focusing on nobody else.

"We've gone to some good places away from home and won this season, and put some proper shifts in. The players and all the staff know what we need to do. We just have to focus on us, and on the set-plays in both boxes against a good Newport side who try and play a little bit on a difficult surface.

"We're looking to be positive, play forward, work hard as a team and when we get in possession we need to make sure we keep the ball better."

Jem Karacan should be fit for the encounter against the Exiles after being rested at the weekend.

Cox added: "Jem was just feeling something so we had to be careful with him, as we couldn't afford to play him and then have him come off after 20 minutes, and risk injury. He played the last 15-20 minutes on Saturday, and has trained again this morning, which is good for us and his attitude of getting stuck into people in the right way was good. The boys trained really well on Monday and we're focused on what we need to do.

"Gilly (Alex Gilliead, who came off early in the second-half on Saturday) has only missed two games all season and he just felt a little bit leggy, but he was fresh this morning. I've had a good conservation with him and he's been telling all the lads about how we need to be better and be focused on what we need to do."

Cox admitted, with the season over in less than a fortnight, that it's unlikely Junior Brown and Jordan Clarke will return to action before the end of the campaign.

He said: "They probably won't now. I think with only two weeks left of the season and three games, it'll be tough. Junior was on the training ground this morning having a run-around and has been brilliant around the place. He's an experienced pro and a good character.

"We'll have a look at Jordan but just the support of the senior pros like them, and Harrison (McGahey) will help.

"We're waiting for some more results on Harrison (who has sat out the last two matches with a quad problem)."

See much more from Neil Cox on iFollow Iron. Click here to get your Newport County vs Iron match pass.


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