COUNTY v ACCRINGTON (Tomorrow, KO 3pm)

DEFENDER Ismail Yakubu believes New-port County AFC can use the momentum from last season’s promotion to get off to a flying start in League Two.

The Nigerian-born centre-back is expected to resume his partnership at the back with Tony James and Byron Anthony for tomorrow’s season opener against Accring-ton Stanley.

The trio at the heart of the Exiles defence played a key part in the club’s Conference play-off success.

They didn’t concede a goal in the semi-final win over Grimsby Town or the thrilling final victory over Wrexham at Wembley.

And Yakubu believes that continuity and momentum will be crucial as County prepare for their Football League return.

“I’m happy to be back in League Two,” said the former AFC Wimbledon man.

“I didn’t really get the chance to reap the rewards of the previous season when I went up with Wimbledon.

“But Newport have been great with me. I have a good relationship with the manager and I’m glad to still be here.

“I think it is important that we kept the squad together because the way we gelled last year was fantastic.

“And we can use the momentum from the end of the season to help us this season.

“You don’t realize how lucky you are to have a season end like that. It doesn’t happen many times in your career as a footballer.

“I’ve been lucky to be promoted three times now and you’ve got to ride that wave as long as you can and keep the good feeling going.”

The 28-year-old is fit after a disrupted pre-season and raring to go against James Beattie’s Stanley.

“This is what all the hard work has been about in pre-season and I can’t wait to get started properly with the first League game,” he said.

“I missed a week of pre-season to give my thigh a rest but I’ve got a few games in now and I’m feeling good and ready to go.

“My fitness is good now and I’m looking forward to hopefully being picked and getting off to a good start.”

As an experienced member of the squad Yakubu knows that it is important to focus solely on the match tomorrow and not the occasion.

“We’ve got to try and treat it like any other game but that is going to be very hard because this means so much to the fans and everybody at the club,” he added.

“We’ve got to put everything else on the back burner and focus on the game, like we did at the end of last season. I just hope we can put on a show.

“There are a lot of really exciting fixtures that we’re looking forward to but we can’t get caught up in the media attention, the new stadiums and all of that.

“We have to focus on what goes on on the pitch and stick to what we know – working hard together and grinding out results.”