BOSS Warren Feeney firmly believes Newport County AFC are “moving in the right direction”.

The Exiles have won just once this term but go to Doncaster Rovers on Saturday (3pm) unbeaten in three Sky Bet League Two outings.

Feeney insists that his team has made big strides since last season when they finished one place above the relegation zone.

Speaking before the trip to the Keepmoat Stadium, Feeney backed his players to knock their defensive worries on the head and also hailed the support of the County fans as “phenomenal”.

“We’re three unbeaten but we’re disappointed because I still think we should be on a few more points,” he said.

“We’ve progressed a hell of a lot from last year and I think you can see that in the players.

“The fans have been phenomenal as well because they are getting behind the boys and they can see passion.

“I don’t think we’ve been bad, we’ve been close, it’s just the goals we’ve got to cut out. They are individual mistakes, you can see that, but we will put it right.

“I am pleased at the moment because we aren’t playing catch up. You’re competing against some very big teams but I believe we’ve got a good enough squad.”

He added: “We’re moving in the right direction. We’re three unbeaten and hopefully we can make it four on Saturday.”

County’s sole league success to date came on the road at Leyton Orient and Feeney knows a similar performance is needed if the Exiles are to get anything from the clash with Darren Ferguson’s men.

Cutting out mistakes, particularly in defence, is going to be essential if Newport want to start turning draws into wins.

On that, Feeney said: “People say you defend from the front but you can’t defend from the front if there are schoolboy mistakes at the back.

“No-one has cut us open. If you look at the goals we’ve scored we’ve had to work for them whereas I think we’ve given teams that head start.

“I’m disappointed in it because we’ve been playing well and we’ve got to keep that back door shut.

“We’re working very hard but you can work all day on the training park, when you cross that white line it’s down to the players.

“The boys are an honest bunch and I back them 110%. We will get it right.”

Doncaster, fourth in the table, have won four from seven this season and scored 10 goals in their last three outings.