NEWPORT County AFC manager Justin Edinburgh is preparing his troops for a tough week on the road, starting with today’s trip to Bury, writes Andrew Penman.

County are at Gigg Lane in League Two this afternoon before Tuesday’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tie at Crawley Town and the trip to Rochdale next Saturday.

And Edinburgh is expecting a big test of his injury-hit squad, admitting that they might have to ride a few storms over the next eight days.

“We’re very much aware that we’ve made a step up this season,” said the Exiles boss.

“Quite a few of the teams we came up against last season were part-time so we could dominate the game for longer periods of time because of superior fitness.

“But what we’re learning is that we’re not always going to dominate the games from start to finish and it is a case of getting that across to the players as well.”

Edinburgh is still without last season’s top scorers Aaron O’Connor and Christian Jolley but he’s happy with his three remaining front men – Conor Washington, Chris Zebroski and Danny Crow, who scored in last week’s win over Torquay.

“We’ve always looked to make sure we’ve got a good top end and even without Christian and Aaron we have certainly got that,” said Edinburgh.

“We’ve got players who are capable of winning games on their own and we’re lucky to have so many good strikers.

“The three of them are pushing each other hard for a starting place.

“But it’s a credit to the players that have come in and played that we are where we are and with what we’ve got coming back we’re going to get stronger.”

In midfield the manager must decide whether to recall Lee Minshull after the completion of his three-game ban but he is likely to name an unchanged back five.

“Ismail Yakubu and Tony James have come back in and looked assured alongside Harry Worley who has played every game and been outstanding for us,” he added.

“We shifted Andrew Hughes out wide last week as well and he acquitted himself well. We certainly looked solid.”

There is also a doubt over goalkeeper Lenny Pidgeley, who has a ruptured joint in his hand.

For the Shakers veteran goalkeeper Brian Jensen is expected to start.

Trevor Carson has joined Portsmouth on loan so ex-Burnley ‘keeper Jensen will take over.

Defender Jordan Mustoe is in contention to make his debut after arriving on-loan from Wigan in midweek.