Andy Awford takes charge of Portsmouth for the second time this season and begins with a trip to Rodney Parade.
Team News
New loan signing Danny Hollands is likely to go straight into the starting eleven to replace the departed Toumani Diagouraga but Ryan Bird has suffered a slight injury and will not be available having been recalled from Cambridge. Marcos Painter is also out for the season whilst Ben Chorley is still suspended.
Newport full back David Pipe is available after completing his two match ban but defender Ismail Yakubu is still injured. Darcy Blake and Kevin Feely are set to continue in the side.
The Match
Many would have written Pompey off before this game until Richie Barker was deservedly shown the door. At least Andy Awford should be able to get the players to give 100% if nothing else.
His team selection is certainly going to be interesting. The likes of Sonny Bradley, Yassin Moutaouakil and Johnny Ertl were virtually frozen out during Barker's ill-fated regime but they may be given another chance under Awford. Jack Whatmough is likely to keep his place given that it was Andy who gave him his first-team debut in the first place.
Whatever happens, the temporary manager is unlikely to hand this team a quick fix and they are up against a side who have already beaten them twice this season.
However, Newport's form has stuttered and they have only won once in their last ten games (or two in their last seventeen) and that was against hopeless Torquay. Like Pompey, they have struggled to score more than once in a single match and concede cheap goals.
There is certainly some hope that Pompey may take something from the game and now Barker's stranglehold on the team has been released, there may even be some good attacking football on show too.
Danny Hollands should be the man to inspire the midfield to create some chances if he's allowed to. It would also be good to see Jake Jervis and Ryan Taylor paired up front together if the ball can be played on the floor, as their early partnership showed signs of promise before Barker was dead set on the long ball tactic.
Another positive to immediately come from Barker's depature is that the fans should now concentrate fully on supporting the team rather than certain sections having a go at each other simply for having a different opinion. Those who travel to South Wales and brave Rodney Parade's horrible away end should at least provide some loud vocal backing.
As said before, there is no quick fix and defeat tomorrow may well be likely. But at least there is now some hope that Pompey will get a result tomorrow and ultimately get out of this mess.
Predicted Starting Line-Ups
Newport
GK: Lenny PIDGELEY
RB: David PIPE
CB: Darcy BLAKE
CB: Tom NAYLOR
LB: Andrew HUGHES
RM: Michael FLYNN
CM: Robbie WILMOTT
CM: Lee MINSHULL
LM: Adam CHAPMAN
CF: Danny CROW
CF: Chris ZEBROSKI
Pompey
GK: Trevor CARSON
RB: Daniel ALFEI
CB: Jack WHATMOUGH
CB: Bondz N'GALA
LB: Nicky SHOREY
RM: Jed WALLACE
CM: Danny HOLLANDS
CM: Wes FOGDEN
LM: Ricky HOLMES
CF: Jake JERVIS
CF: Ryan TAYLOR
Last Time: Newport County 3 Portsmouth 0 (Johnstone's Paint Trophy - 12/11/2013)
Pompey go off to the worst possible start as N'Gala headed the ball over Carson, allowing Conor Washington to tap the ball into an empty net. Deji Oshilaja tapped in a second goal after Carson parried a free kick and Washington added a third in the second half to seal the win.
Pipe was sent off for a lunge on Holmes during the second half but it didn't matter as this result marked the beginning of Guy Whittingham's ultimate downfall as Portsmouth manager.
My Prediction
Who knows how this is going to end up? Awford may galvanise the team, play players in their correct positions and go for it but it's just as likely that the lack of confidence will remain and Newport take advantage of all the uncertainty. I'll sit on the fence.
Newport County 1 Portsmouth 1