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Miscellaneous  .Wrexham’s first Welsh derby in the league since March 2003 (Swansea (a) 0-0)

Wrexham debuts: Danny Racchi (who will make his fiftieth career league appearance if he plays.)

Wrexham have a chance to kick on a get their season going on Sunday, and not only because back-to-back away wins against the two sides promoted from the Conference South last season would give them some momentum.

Having looked balanced and in control last Monday, with Christian Smith giving the midfield balance by sitting in behind Dean Keates and Jay Harris, the question is whether the improvement was something substantial or just a one-off. A repetition at Newport would suggest Wrexham have found a system worth persevering with, as County are likely to offer a much stiffer test.

Forget the hype: they will offer a stiff test because they’re a side starting to find the confidence they enjoyed in sweeping all before them last season, having enjoyed an impressive bank holiday weekend, not because it’s on TV or because they’ll be up for a derby. In fact, their playing style suggests they’ll not be looking to tear into Wrexham as they like to pass it around instead.  That might just suit Wrexham, as they’ve been inconvenienced by teams playing at a high tempo and looking to turn their defenders; the extra man in midfield might offer a level of control in that part of the pitch and make Newport pass the ball sideways, in front of the back four.

Having said that, Robbie Matthews is a handful up front, and another key issue for Wrexham will be the fitness of Marvin Andrews. Dean Saunders admitted on signing him that he wasn’t fit yet, and a niggling groin injury meant he couldn’t complete the game on Monday. Wrexham desperately need him to get fit and stay fit, and not only because he is physically equipped to dominate anyone in the division. Saunders’ squad looks worryingly thin in the centre of defence, especially as one of the three specialist centre-backs is Frank Sinclair, who was always likely to be injury prone bearing in mind his age and the niggles he picked up in the second half of last season. If Andrews doesn’t make the game, or breaks down during it, then Smith has to be sacrificed from the position in front of the back four which so impressed on Monday, and Wrexham lose a key component of their gameplan. Jamie Tolley, while possessing a similar physique to Smith, is not necessarily the same type of player.

Newport tend to play with genuine width, and the return of Kerry Morgan for a second spell on loan from Swansea, having impressed last season, will give them a boost. It will also offer an interesting test for whoever Saunders has selected at right back; whereas he went out of his way last Monday to praise Declan Walker, who was rested at Bath, Curtis Obeng is the man in possession and is likely to keep the spot. It’ll be interesting to see how he deals with a more direct threat than Bath offered, as he was criticised last season for his defensive decision-making, not least by his manager.

All in all, Wrexham have to try to make their extra man in midfield count, particularly early in the game, as Dean Holdsworth might decide to even things up in the centre if things aren’t going in his way. It’s another reason to follow the example of last Monday, when unusually for a Wrexham away performance in The Conference, Wrexham got off to a positive start and didn’t let it slip.

Last ten meetings: LWWWLDLLWL        

(Home games in red, away games in blue, neutral games in green. Last season underlined. *=won on penalties. **=lost on penalties. #=a.e.t.)          

Wrexham’s Top Scorers against Newport County:          

3: Ollie Kearns, Albert Kinsey, Arfon Griffiths, Ray Smith          

Hat-tricks: 26/3/88 Ollie Kearns 4-1 (h)