Newport County AFC are entering the final straight in the League Two promotion race and midfielder Jake Cain is convinced they have the quality to get over the line.
After five successive home matches, County are back on the road for the first time in a month as they take on struggling Stevenage at the Lamex Stadium this afternoon.
The Exiles are fifth in the table with 11 games left to play and Cain is confident that they can stay in the hunt for promotion over the remaining two months of the campaign.
“Hopefully we’ll be there at the end of the season,” said the Liverpool loanee.
“If we keep playing well and picking up points, then the table will take care of itself.
“They are 11 massive games. Every one of them is winnable and we’ll just keep ticking them off.
“Every game will be a new challenge and we will look to pick up as many points as we can.”
Cain is relishing the pressure to pick up points in his first loan spell away from Liverpool.
“It’s been good, I’ve really enjoyed it and it’s been successful so far,” said the 20-year-old.
“I’ve had a good run of games recently, so it’s been good to get in the team and get some experience.
“It was about coming away and being in a first-team environment, learning a different part of my game and just maturing as a player and as a person as well.”
He added: “There’s a lot more physicality in the League and you have to pick up points.
“The under-23s [with Liverpool] is more of a learning experience and if you play well that is the main thing. In League Two it’s all about results and it’s very competitive, but there are still some very good players as well.”
Liverpool have been monitoring Cain’s progress closely since he was brought to Rodney Parade by previous manager Michael Flynn last August on a season-long loan deal.
“Liverpool keep in touch with me all the time,” he said. “They’re always checking up on me and how the games are going and they look at my gym programme and my running programme as well – in every department they’re keeping in touch with me.
“I’m still treated as a Liverpool player, and when I go back I’ll be more mature and I’ll understand the game better. I’m really glad that I took this experience.”
Cain has trained with the first team at Liverpool and he says Exiles boss James Rowberry shares some traits with Anfield manager Jurgen Klopp.
“You can see some of the same qualities,” he said. “They both like to press, and the style of play [is similar] and they both like pushing young players on.
“You can see similarities there. They’re both great managers and I’m sure they will be in the future as well.”
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