Newport County News: Bromley preview

NEWPORT COUNTY will be looking to consolidate their position at the top of Blue Square South on Sunday when they entertain Bromley at Newport Stadium.

The Exiles opened up a five point lead with last Saturday’s superb 2-1 win at second-placed Dover and it is essential they don’t suffer a big-game hangover and drop points against the type of side they have regularly dismissed this season.

Having only lost one league match in the campaign, Dean Holdsworth’s men will be hoping to defeat a side currently lying ninth in the division and who have picked up just three wins on their travels. The south east Londoners will have sour memories of their last venture into South Wales, when they were soundly beaten 3-0.

County will be hoping striker Craig Reid continues his goal scoring form; it was his brace last week that produced the memorable victory over Dover to open up the gap at the top of the table. A weave into the penalty area was finished with a delightful chip to put County ahead before an instinctive touch and volley into the bottom right corner regained a lead the Exiles never relinquished as they took a vital three points off their south-coast rivals.

The club will be hoping for a bumper Sunday crowd, with children gaining free entry to the ground when accompanied by an adult. Manager Dean Holdsworth is expecting his side to thrive in the atmosphere: "Everyone is buzzing at the club; we’re unbeaten at home and we’d love to break the 2,000 mark," he said.

Alex Winter is a journalism student and editor of the Gloucestershire cricket blog, The Shire Blog

Catch his Newport County News every Friday on Welsh Icons News.