Newport County

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Newport County manager Hayden Mullins is relishing a game against the club that gave him his big break on Tuesday.

The Exiles welcome Crystal Palace Under-21s to Rodney Parade in what is realistically a qualification shoot-out in the EFL Trophy.

Mullins will hope to get one over the Eagles, who he played for 257 times, and captained, after coming through as a trainee.

"It's the club that gave me my first break in professional football," said Mullins, who made his Palace debut as a teenager under Terry Venables in 1998.

"I will never forget Crystal Palace, they are a team that I hold close to my heart because I was captain for a number of years after coming through the youth team.

"It's a fantastic club and I only have good things to say about them."

Nonetheless, Mullins would love to extend Newport's unbeaten Rodney Parade record this season against the young Eagles.

"I know Darren Powell well having played with him and he will have them set up to be aggressive," he said.

"They will have loads of energy and these are always tricky games because under-21s come with a lot of enthusiasm.

"It's almost their cup final, I did it with Fulham and these games are ones where the young players really want to impress."

The Exiles will qualify for the knockout stages if they avoid defeat against the young Eagles.

If it is a draw then Palace could go level on points with Newport by winning the penalty shootout, but County would have a superior goal difference.

It is still possible for both sides to go through but it would require a Palace shootout victory and Plymouth suffering a heavy defeat by Swindon on Tuesday, 10 November.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Hayden Mullins is happy for Newport County to keep going under the radar as underdogs after their encouraging start to League Two.

The Exiles started 2026-27 as one of the favourites to struggle after avoiding relegation on the final day last season.

However, they have started strongly and sit 14th in a congested table, two points off the play-off spots and six clear of the drop zone.

Last Friday Newport enjoyed an eye-catching 4-1 win against much-fancied Chesterfield, but Mullins is content to go about their business quietly.

He said: "We are happy when we are the underdogs. We have our own targets in the dressing room and know what we want to try and do.

"We have played a number of good teams. Salford have been really good and they beat us in the 90th minute, Chesterfield are spoken about as promotion hopefuls, Cheltenham were third and we had 15 shots against them and they had five.

"We are who we are, and hopefully will have a promising season."

County are unbeaten at Rodney Parade in all competitions in 2026-27, profiting from a pragmatic and aggressive approach.

"It's the way that we play our game. It's a hard attacking brand to tie down because we play to our strengths," said Mullins.

"Our strengths will not always be the prettiest. We know what we are and how to hurt the opposition.

"We are a tough, strong, aggressive team that plays with really good intensity."

Newport host Crystal Palace Under-21s in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday (19:00 GMT) and entertain Walsall in the first round of the FA Cup on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Newport County boss Hayden Mullins said their thumping win against Chesterfield was a result that had been coming.

The Exiles extended their Rodney Parade unbeaten run with a 4-1 victory in League Two after first-half goals by Cameron Norman, Tom Davies, Harrison Biggins and Yahya Bamba.

County have now claimed 15 points from a possible 21 in Newport this season, but this was the most notable success.

"The boys got their rewards because that's something that has been coming," said Mullins.

"We have been really good at home and have missed quite a few chances when we have been on top and could have won games by bigger margins.

"The boys looked like they were enjoying themselves and others came off the bench and gave us a lift at a time when we needed it, so it was a really good squad performance."

Chesterfield manager Paul Cook was sent off at half-time after earlier being booked for his anger on the touchline.

The Spireites were frustrated by decisions – notably a handball on the line that was missed by the officials at 2-0 – but had no complaints about the result.

Assistant manager Danny Webb said: "You have to give a lot of respect to Newport – they had a game plan, started on the front foot, were aggressive and physical."

County host Crystal Palace Under-21s in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday (19:00 GMT) and face Walsall in round one of the FA Cup in Newport on Saturday, 7 November (15:00 GMT).

Luke Hemmings
BBC Sport Wales

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

For goalkeeper Jordan Wright, Newport County's improvement this season is down to the mentality that boss Hayden Mullins has instilled at Rodney Parade.

Last season, the Exiles often struggled to recover from setbacks. Conceding first frequently led to heads dropping and games slipping away.

Under Mullins, however, resilience has become one of Newport's biggest strengths.

County have made a habit of fast starts, taking points from seven of the nine matches in which they have opened the scoring.

Even when things have gone against them, they have shown a greater ability to respond. Despite conceding inside the opening five minutes in their last three league games, Newport have fought back to earn draws in two of them.

Their nine-match unbeaten league run - which ended at Cheltenham last weekend - was the club's longest since the middle of the 2023-24 campaign.

With only seven points separating the play-off places from the relegation zone in a congested League Two table, fortunes can change quickly.

A couple of poor results could drag Newport back towards familiar territory. Yet the belief within the squad is clearly different from this stage 12 months ago.

"Obviously, the goal in every football club is to finish as high as we can," said Wright.

"Get in the play-offs, that's what everyone wants to do, and we believe we can do it and that's what we're striving to do."

Friday night's visit of Chesterfield to south Wales (19:45 GMT) offers another opportunity for Newport to extend an unbeaten home record.

"What we show at Rodney is high energy, high press, get after teams and score goals, so let's do that again," added the 27-year-old goalkeeper.

"If you can keep an unbeaten run going at home throughout the season, it is such a solid platform to build on and hopefully we can do that."

Luke Hemmings
BBC Sport Wales

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Goalkeeper Jordan Wright has already kept three League Two clean sheets this season to highlight Newport County's improved defensive steel.

The Exiles, who host Chesterfield in League Two tonight (19:45 GMT), only kept their opponents goalless seven times last season in a campaign that did not go as Wright had hoped.

The 27-year-old, who joined from Grimsby Town in June 2025, first had to overcome Nick Tzanev to earn the starting spot, then had to battle his self-belief as County narrowly avoided relegation.

"Last season was tough. We were down there. It felt like sometimes you wanted to catch a break," Wright said.

"That's football, you just have to learn from it. You have to be strong enough to keep going."

Wright has retained his spot under Hayden Mullins this season, dismissing any summer doubts.

Newport committed more errors leading to goals than any side in the division last term, with Wright taking a share of the responsibility.

Beyond a mistake in the 2-1 win over former side Grimsby, Wright has looked more assured and believes errors come with the territory for goalkeepers.

"If you make a mistake, it's going in the back of the net. You have to be mentally strong enough to deal with that," said Wright.

"I've done it for many years now and if you're not strong enough to deal with it, that's where it can eat you up.

"There's always a next thing. It might be a cross, a save, a kick. You just have to let it go and get straight back onto the game."

Wright has improved and so have Newport.

The Exiles had already conceded 22 league goals at this stage last season. They have shipped six fewer in the current campaign and look far harder to break down.

Only four League Two sides have conceded fewer goals, while centre-back pairing Lee Jenkins and Kyle Cameron have combined for 193 clearances.

"We're not conceding many shots. The organisation throughout the team is solid and everyone's backing each other up," said Wright.

We asked Newport County supporters how their side will respond after their nine-match unbeaten run ended with a 1-0 defeat at Cheltenham Town - and whether they expect the Exiles to bounce back at home to Chesterfield on Friday.

Here is what some fans had to say:

Carl: It's clear they have missed their strikers. All in all the team are fairly solid in most areas having watched Saturday's game.

There were a lot of errors in the game but if you think where we where last season, the team is vastly improved. A season of consolidation and move on for next season.

Mike: Should have got at least a point against Cheltenham but with a growing injury list and [against] a very good Chesterfield, I'd be happy with a point.

Terry: Newport's lengthy injury list is a worry ahead of Friday's game. However when eventually it clears, I see the Exiles ending the campaign just outside the play-offs. Given the dross fans have had to watch over recent seasons, that kind of finishing position will be extremely welcome.

Al: Held our own away from home against a team doing well. Could have, and probably should have got at least a point after missing yet another penalty at a critical time in the game. Unfortunately we've got a growing injury list but also it should open doors to bring in other quality like Matt Smith and [James] Crole. Roll on Friday night! Another nine-game unbeaten streak would be good.

An early goal proved to be Newport County's undoing at Cheltenham on Saturday as their nine-game unbeaten run across all competitions came to an end.

County had a number of chances to get back into the game – including a saved Harrison Biggins' penalty - but could not find the breakthrough.

Manager Hayden Mullins praised his team's "fight and desire" and says they could have drawn or won the game on another day.

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Newport County manager Hayden Mullins felt his Newport County side could have beaten Cheltenham Town after seeing their nine-game unbeaten run end.

The Exiles had a succession of good chances against the Robins, including a saved Harrison Biggins' penalty, but could not find the breakthrough in a 1-0 defeat.

Luke Hemmings
BBC Sport Wales

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Injuries are beginning to take a toll on League Two side Newport County, with Tanatswa Nyakuhwa and Matty Jacob the latest names added to a growing casualty list.

Striker Christian Doidge and midfielder Aaron Lewis both picked up groin injuries ahead of Newport's 1-1 draw with York City, while Harri Pugh and Keenan Patten also remain sidelined.

With a big squad, manager Hayden Mullins feels for now Newport have the squad depth to survive the crisis but admits Jacob's absence will be keenly felt.

The Hull City loanee, who arrived on deadline day, has started every League Two game since his arrival before being forced off with a hamstring strain against York.

Alongside helping shore up Newport's defence, he has also posed a threat going forward and contributed two assists in seven appearances.

"Matty's done really well," said Mullins.

"He's a player who has shown he wants to come and play games. He recognised he needed to play, came down here and backed himself.

"He's got a couple of assists and looked really good in the games. He will definitely be a miss, but it opens the door for someone else."

That player could well be Tom Davies, who is fit again after recovering from an injury that has kept him out of the team since Newport's 5-3 derby defeat to Bristol Rovers.

But both Joe Thomas and Alfie Merritt also remain options for Mullins, both of whom started in south Yorkshire earlier this week.

"Tom [Davies] is fit now, Alfie Merritt's around and JT [Joe Thomas] can fill that position," Mullins added.

"We've got a number of players that can help while he's not here [for three or four weeks], but Matty's done really well while he's been in the team."

There was, however, some positive news on the injury front, with James Crole and Moses Walker-Alexander both back in training.

Doidge and Lewis have also returned to the grass but are still several weeks away from contention, while Nyakuhwa is awaiting a scan to determine the extent of his injury.

"We're getting there, but we're taking a bit of a knock at the moment," said Mullins.

"We're stretched and that's why when the Shaq [Gwengwe] one came through it was a little bit more of a blow."

With Newport now facing a testing spell, Mullins has challenged those on the fringes of the squad to take their opportunities.

"I've got no worries about putting players in. If a space opens up, they'll get the opportunity because they've shown they're ready to go.

"It's hard to leave people out because the lads who've got the shirt have done really well, but it's pleasing to see others come in and show us they're ready.

"We're getting lads who need to step up, stepping up at the moment and that's really helping us."

Newport travel across the River Severn to face Cheltenham Town on Saturday 24 October where they will be hoping for their first league away win.

Though a fourth consecutive draw on the road would still extend their unbeaten run to 10 matches in all competitions.

Ian Mitchelmore
BBC Sport Wales

Image source, Jez Tighe/ProSports/Shutterstock

With 12 minutes on the clock at AESSEAL New York Stadium, Newport County appeared destined to endure a torrid night after Paul Mullin and Aaron Nemane netted early goals for Rotherham United.

But, according to goalscorer Harrison Biggins, Newport were ultimately left disappointed not to leave South Yorkshire with all three points as they claimed a hard-earned draw against Alex Bruce's side.

The point ensured Newport extended their unbeaten league run to seven matches, their best sequence since achieving the same record midway through the 2023-24 season.

It was also the first time the Exiles have come from two goals behind to claim a point since doing so against Wimbledon in December 2024, when Michael Spellman and Shane McLoughlin struck to secure a 2-2 draw.

They were without top scorer Shaquille Gwengwe at Rotherham as the striker was serving the first part of a three-game ban after admitting to a charge of violent conduct.

Christian Doidge, Matty Jacob and Tanatswa Nyakuhwa were also absent against the Millers, with Hayden Mullins acknowledging after the match that injuries are starting to bite.

But the resilience and fighting spirit instilled in the squad by Mullins and his coaching staff was once again evident in Rotherham.

The fact they have come from behind to earn a draw on three occasions already this season indicates that the current squad will not let heads drop amid adversity.

Newport are 12th in the table having gained 15 points from their opening 12 league games under Mullins.

They have seven more points than they did at the same stage last season, when they were 23rd.

County have scored five more goals this time around and have conceded six fewer, which are further markers of the team's improvement under Mullins.

Sticky spells will no doubt come this season, particularly if the injury situation worsens.

But the Rotherham draw helped to underline the progress County are making under Mullins - which at this time last year may have seemed unthinkable for the Newport faithful.

Hayden Mullins declared himself happy with a point after Newport County came from 2-0 down to draw at Rotherham United on Tuesday.

Listen to Exiles boss Mullins' post-match interview with BBC Sport Wales.

Image source, Jez Tighe/ProSports/Shutterstock

Harrison Biggins says boss Hayden Mullins has been a key driver behind Newport County's improved form this season.

The Exiles stretched their unbeaten league run to seven matches by coming from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Rotherham United at AESSEAL New York Stadium on Tuesday.

Biggins - who netted his third goal of the campaign from the penalty spot against the Millers - says the fact Newport were disappointed not to beat Alex Bruce's side shows the progress they have made under Mullins.

"We've just gone back in the dressing room and had a little debrief and I think we're actually disappointed that we didn't come away with all three points, which says everything to be honest," he told BBC Sport Wales.

"But we've got another point on the road and it's something to build on again."

Newport's impressive unbeaten run came under severe threat as Paul Mullin's penalty and an Aaron Nemane strike put Rotherham 2-0 up inside 12 minutes in South Yorkshire.

But Biggins and Ged Garner found the target to ensure Newport returned to south Wales with a point.

"We've got great belief in there between everyone," Biggins said of the Newport dressing room.

"We need to go and keep building on that, not get carried away, keep our feet grounded and keep pushing."

On Mullins, the 30-year-old said: "He's really calm in there. He gives us the confidence that we need to go out there and express ourselves.

"We know we've got his back, to work for him and work for each other and that's what you need.

"As a group of players and a group of staff that are in there, we're all so together. That just comes from the gaffer and the confidence that he gives us all."

Luke Hemmings
BBC Sport Wales

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Hayden Mullins believes there is plenty to be positive about as Newport County aim to extend their unbeaten run to nine games at Rotherham United on Tuesday (19:45 BST).

Just three days after battling back to earn a 1-1 draw against 10-man York City, the Exiles are back in League Two action against a struggling Millers side.

Rotherham are without a win in six games across all competitions and sit in the relegation zone – a place that was all too familiar to Newport last season.

However, County are full of confidence after 11 games, and are looking to extend their league unbeaten run to seven matches.

A first league win on the road this season would move County into the play-off places ahead of a trip to Cheltenham Town on Saturday, 24 October.

Away from home, a switch to a back five has brought greater stability and resilience, helping the Exiles grind out results as of late.

"Our shape is good," said Mullins. "I'm happy with it. I'm happy with the players and how they've taken on board all the information.

"For us as staff and me as a manager, it feels good. It looks good. There's loads of positive points to build on.

"The group is a really good group to work with. We're eight games unbeaten, and we're looking forward to Tuesday's game."

With centre-forward Christian Doidge absent through injury, others will need to step up, and Kion Etete did exactly that at the weekend.

By scoring with his first County touch, Etete sealed a point against York, while Tanatswa Nyakuhwa has looked determined to make an impact this season.

Mullins does not anticipate that Etete will be ready to start on Tuesday evening, with his cameo on the weekend being his first competitive minutes since March.

Newport's tough-to-beat mentality has been a feature of their recent run, often leading to fiercely contested encounters, and Mullins expects Rotherham to be no different.

"We play wholeheartedly. There were a lot of tackles flying around, and there normally are when we play. There's a lot going on.

"I'm really happy with our group and where we are as a club and as a football team. There's loads and loads of positives. Long may it continue."