NEWPORT County entertain second placed Grays Athletic tonight at Spytty Park (kick-off 7.45pm), knowing that they need to get success sooner rather than later to move away from the threat of relegation.

County lie fifth from bottom of the Conference South in 18th position after 14 games and they have picked up 15 points, half as many as tonight's visitors, who won 7-0 at Dorchester on Saturday.

Grays have scored 21 goals on their travels so far this season and 39 in total which makes grim reading for County fans, who have only seen their side score 11 goals at home and 16 in total so far term.

But County fans can take heart from the way their side the last time they met a team at the top of the table, when they played superbly to draw 2-2 with leaders Hornchurch.

This fact is not lost on young striker John Phillips, who is hoping to get on the scoresheet tonight.

Phillips, 19, has been in superb form since John Cornforth took charge and the new manager has even singled the young striker out for praise in his last two games.

He ousted Carl Wilson-Denis from the side after impressing and scoring as a second half substitute against North Leigh in the FA Cup and he was again on form on Saturday.

Phillips has yet to score in the league this term but he is certain that a goal is going to come his way, and soon.

He said: "I feel like a goal is just around the corner for me but that has a lot to do with how well I think the team are playing.

"I would love to score tonight against Grays and it would be brilliant to score early and help the boys to settle down but the most important thing is to get a result.

"First and foremost we need results because defeats like Saturday - when we were so unlucky - are still defeats.

"Our performances are good and we are on form but we are not where we should be in the league and we need to put that right.

"We need to play in this game like we did against Hornchurch, who also came to us on the back of a big win and nothing says we can't stop Grays in their tracks with a really good performance."

Phillips is also delighted with the way new boss Cornforth has stamped his authority on the club.

He said: "The manager is a players manager and he really understands what it is like for us because he has done it all before.

"In terms of training he has stepped things up to another level and after only eight sessions with him the impression he has made is huge.

"I have been at County for a long time and I feel that he is someone who appreciates the efforts that I am making."