Newport County face a significant injury crisis for Friday's key home match against Chesterfield. Head coach Hayden Mullins confirmed that Fulham loanee Matt Dibley-Dias is out with a hamstring problem and top scorer Shaquille Gwengwe is suspended.
"Dibley-Dias has had a scan, and we're waiting to see the results of that, so he won't be ready for the weekend," said Hayden Mullins. The manager also revealed winger Yahya Bamba, who was forced off in the recent 1-0 defeat at Cheltenham Town, has returned to training but his match fitness is uncertain.
The list of absentees is extensive. Alongside Dibley-Dias and Gwengwe, who begins a three-match ban for an incident in the draw with York City, the Exiles are without Christian Doidge, Tanatswa Nyakhuwa and Matty Jacob. This leaves Mullins with limited options as his side, currently 16th in League Two with 15 points, prepares to host seventh-placed Chesterfield. The team's record of three wins, six draws and four losses from 13 games has left them 13 points behind the league leaders.
Home advantage under threat
Newport's unbeaten home record at Rodney Parade this season is now under serious threat. The team has taken eight points from their last five league games, a run that includes a win, three draws and that single loss at Cheltenham. Their recent form of one win, three draws and one loss was built on results including a 2-2 draw at Rotherham, a 1-1 draw with York, a 1-0 win over Colchester and a 2-2 draw with Plymouth. Mullins is calling on supporters to help offset the squad shortages.
"We're obviously disappointed to be missing a few players, but it creates an opportunity for someone else to come in and make an impact," he added. The manager described the squad as being in a “good place” despite the setbacks.
Chesterfield pose a tough test
The visitors arrive in formidable form. Paul Cook's Chesterfield side thrashed Crewe Alexandra 5-1 in their last outing and sit four points above Newport in the table. Newport will need to find goals from elsewhere with their top scorer absent, having scored 16 times this season while conceding the same number.
Newport's recent fixtures show a team that is hard to beat, with only one loss in their last eight league outings before the Cheltenham trip. They will need that resilience again on Friday evening. The match kicks off at 19:45 GMT at Rodney Parade, where Newport must rely on emerging talent to secure a positive result against the high-flying Spireites.
