Wrexham vs Newport County Predictions

It has been five years since Wrexham and Newport County last met, but that previous meeting will still live long in the memory of fans of both clubs. The clash took place at Wembley Stadium for the then branded Conference play-off final, and it was Newport County who emerged victorious. Late goals from Christian Jolley and Aaron O’Connor helped County to seal a return to the Football League after a 25-year absence in that clash, but this weekend the rivals do battle once again as they bid to book their spot in the FA Cup third round.

After many years of being the nearly men, Wrexham will be hoping they can finally achieve their aim of returning to the Football League come the end of the season. This weekend’s hosts have been impressive so far this term and their solid defensive unit has helped them into a challenge for the National League title. However, their preparations for the clash this weekend have been less than ideal as their first home defeat of the season was sandwiched between two disappointing draws where they would have been targeting all three points.

Making the trip to the Racecourse Ground is a Newport County side who are also enjoying their season so far and, much like their hosts, have now got their sights set on playing their football next season in a higher division. County were not expected to be quite the force they have been so far this season but they continue to prove the doubters wrong and are currently level on points with the side who occupy the last of the automatic promotion places.

Any side who wants to win promotion needs a reliable striker to find the back of the net if they are to achieve their aim, and for Newport County it appears they have exactly that. Leading the line for County is 29-year-old Jamille Matt, who has eight goals to his name so far this term. Matt has proven to be a handful for defenders of late and has five goals in his last nine outings, a tally we think he will improve on this Saturday evening.

The fiery nature of a match like this should be perfect for the BT Sport cameras and there should be plenty of action at both ends of the pitch. The hosts will be out for revenge and will still have plenty of confidence in their ability, despite their recent blip. The visitors have already proven themselves to be a force at a higher level and should be fully confident in their abilities. With this in mind, we think that backing both teams to score in this fixture represents the best chance of a decent return.