TEENAGE star Regan Poole is being backed to play a big part as Newport County AFC battle to stay in the League Two play-off places.

Ismail Yakubu misses Saturday’s crunch clash with promotion rivals Bury after his late red card in the Easter Monday defeat at Exeter City and Poole looks set to keep his place in the starting XI.

The 16-year-old excelled at right-back at St James Park in his first Exiles appearance since January and is likely to feature again as fourth-placed Bury come to Rodney Parade.

Ryan Jackson could be back from injury but manager Jimmy Dack and midfielder Adam Chapman were full of praise for Poole, who could move inside to central defence on Saturday.

“We’re hoping to have Ryan Jackson back but Regan Poole was outstanding,” said Dack.

“What a good performance and a calm performance from a young lad.

“If Ryan doesn’t make it we’ve always got Regan, who’s doing a fantastic job for us.”

Dack admits that Yakubu, who has formed a superb partnership with captain Darren Jones in central defence, will be missed.

“It’s disappointing for us because Ish has been immense again this season,” said the Exiles boss.

“He’s an absolute model professional; he comes in before everyone else for training and he leaves the latest. We’re going to miss him.”

But Chapman says the rest of the players have full confidence in Poole’s ability to help them secure a top-seven finish this season.

“He’s fantastic,” said Chapman, who also returned to the starting XI on Monday. “We know as a group of players that whenever you see his name on the teamsheet you’re not worried.

“There’s a lot of 16-year-old boys where you’d think ‘I’m not sure’ but the club has managed him well.

“I think they were right not to play him all season because that puts a lot of pressure on him but he knows that he’s got the trust of us as well.

“We’re an easy group to come into and he feels really confident with us,” he added.

“That must be nice for him and he gets on with the boys; he’s level headed and he’s going to go a long way in this game.

“He doesn’t look out of place at all. That’s a lot to do with the boys around him because we make it a really easy environment to come into and, on top of that, he’s a fantastic football player as well.

“I’ve got no doubts that he’ll go to the top.”