Luton Town Football Club

• Town 12th; Newport 21st

• Hatters without a win in two L2 games

• Newport haven’t won at home this season

• No team scored more away goals than Town

• Hatters never won at Rodney Parade 

• County unbeaten in six games

• Exiles have drawn their last four matches

WHO? On Saturday the Town travel to face Newport County in Sky Bet League 2. The Exiles made an indifferent start to the season under Terry Butcher but following his departure new boss John Sheridan has guided his side away from the relegation zone.

HOW ARE THEY DOING? County sit in 21st place in League 2, two places and four points clear of the relegation zone. The Exiles had to wait until their ninth game of the season to pick up their first win of the season, triumphing 3-0 at Carlisle. However, since Sheridan’s arrival County’s fortunes have changed, and they go in to Saturday’s game unbeaten in six matches. Four (and that’s the last four, too) have been draws, but they have included decent points against high-flying Oxford, Accrington and Northampton. Sheridan’s side won the two games before this run of draws, winning 4-1 at Bristol Rovers and 2-0 at Wycombe.

HOME DISCOMFORT. The Newport faithful have really been starved of success at Rodney Parade over the past few months and have yet to see their side win at home in League 2 this season, picking up just four points - and scoring just eight goals - on home soil in nine games. Look back to last season and that run stretches a further four matches, giving a depressing statistic of no home win in 13 League 2 games. Now…let’s cast our minds back a bit…ah yes. The last time Newport won at home in League 2 was against the Hatters on 17th March.

TICKET NEWS. Newport have been playing their home fixtures at Rodney Parade since the start of the 2012/13 seasonTown supporters have the choice of seating arrangements at RP – behind the goal in a temporary uncovered stand or beside the pitch in a covered, new-stand. It’s your choice…Anyway, tickets are available in advance from the ticket office until 3pm at discounted rates. The price goes up if you buy on the turnstile at Newport. Click here for all the details.

HOW TO GET THERE? It’s a three-hour, 150-mile trip to Newport from Luton. Taking the M1, M25, M4 west. Leave the M4 at Junction 24 and take the B4237, signposted Newport (E). After approximately two-and-a-half miles turn left at a set of traffic lights, signposted B4237. Go under a bridge and at the next set of traffic lights turn right into Corporation Road. After passing an ATS garage on your right, you will see the away supporters’ entrance on your left. The postcode is NP12 OUU. You can also go on the Bobbers – they leave Luton train station at 9.30am and the fare is £25 for adults and £22 for concessions.

HAVEN’T WE MET BEFORE? Saturday’s game will be the 58th meeting between the two clubs (including all of Newport’s previous guises). The Town have won 29 to Newport’s 14. The Town have lost both of their games at Rodney Parade, losing 1-0 last season and 5-2 during 2012/13. The Hatters last won in Newport on 26th November 2011 thanks to a last-minute goal from Danny Crow at the Exiles’ Spytty Park.

DID YOU KNOW? Across the 58 previous matches between to the two clubs the Town have only failed to score six times. A total of 207 goals have been scored – an average of 3.5 goals per game.

OLD BOYS NETWORK. There was a time when Newport had a number of ex-Town men in their squad but this season the connections are few and far between. County have former Hatters academy product Janoi Donacien on-loan from Aston Villa and, although the defender has played nine games for Newport, he is likely to miss Saturday’s game with an ankle injury.

TOWN TEAM NEWS. The Town remain without the services of the suspended Paul Benson who serves the second of his three-game ban. Luke Wilkinson remains a doubt with a thigh strain, while Magnus Okuonghae and Nathan Doyle could be involved despite lacking match fitness. Luke Guttridge and Dan Potts have minor knee and hamstring knocks and are also doubtful while Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu will definitely miss out as he continues to nurse an ankle injury.

 

REF WATCH. David Coote is Saturday’s man in the middle. The Nottinghamshire official last took charge of a Town match last season – the 3-2 defeat against Wycombe in March. So far this term the whistler has overseen 12 matches in which he has shown 51 yellow cards and two red cards. 

LIVE AND ONLINE. As ever, we’ll be reporting live from Rodney Parade. Build-up starts at noon, so get on our early blog on the Wall for all the latest updates.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for photos, videos and all the behind-the-scenes action. Hatters Player subscribers will be able to listen to live commentary from just before 3pm with Simon Pitts in the press box. 

Post-match, remember to check out the official website, YouTube channel and Player for reports, interviews and photographs and don’t forget to tune in from midday on Sunday for all the highlights in glorious HD!