Newport County travel nearly 90 miles to Tiverton for their FA Cup clash on Saturday (kick-off 3pm) but the team bus will return to South Wales minus one important person, manager John Cornforth.

The County boss lives just a ten minute drive from Tiverton, so he knows all about the side that stand in County's way of a first round proper berth.

Cornforth said: "I will be travelling down with the squad but will be able to nick home just along the road after the match, hopefully by that time we will still be in the cup by some way or another."

The former Swansea captain has settled into his new role at Spytty and he has several irons in the fire regarding new signings but in the meantime, he has been happy with the progress the side has made.

He said: "They have got better and better in each game and have a good shape. We are creating chances and will get goals.

"The most important thing on Saturday is that we keep a clean sheet and that will mean that we will still be in the draw come tea-time.

"Tiverton are not going to be easy, they have a few good players and a couple of big lads at the back.

"But if we can get the ball down and out wide to Jason Bowen and Jon Coates we can cause them problems."

He added: "Despite not winning last week, we go into it with a lot of confidence and we know that we are not far off.

"Everybody knows how important it is to get into the first round and the chance of a good draw."

Cornforth has had a busy week and is set to include a new face in the side on Saturday - all being well - and he has another couple of players close to signing.

He said: "I have a player who is down training with us and hopefully we can get something tied up. I don't want to name names as yet because it might alert other clubs but it does look promising."

One man who will not be on the agenda is Cornforth's old teammate at Swansea Julian Alsop.

The six feet four striker has hit the national headlines in recent weeks after being sacked by Oxford for a training ground incident but Cornforth admitted he has spoken to him but he yesterday signed for Northampton on a three month contract.

He said: "I have spoke to big Julian but he has gone to Northampton. He told me what happened but he had already asked to be put on the transfer list so was on his way out.

"He is a good lad but a bit of a handful to be honest."

County will be without Nathan Davies, whose ankle injury looks set to rule him out for another two or three weeks and Roger Freestone is still a doubt but they have cover in Andrew Delve, who enjoyed a fine performance last weekend in difficult conditions.

Striker John Phillips looks set to retain his place after impressing the manager in recent weeks and he was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet in the 1-0 defeat by Carshalton last Saturday.

"John is in my thinking again," Said Cornforth, "He has looked very lively and has a good touch and pace that can get him behind defenders.

"He was unlucky not to get a goal last week but that will come for him."

Newport County squad: Freestone, Aherne-Evans, L Phillips, D Jones, Morgan, Powell, Coates, Williams, G Jones, Bowen, Moralee, J Phillips, Wilson-Denis, O'Sullivan, Passmore, Thomas, Delve.