Coughlan: Tough spell a yardstick for Newport County

The Exiles will look to react to Notts County ending their seven-game unbeaten streak in League Two when they host Gillingham on Saturday.

Coughlan’s men have given themselves a shot at being in the scrap for the play-offs thanks to their form in 2024 but they face a key spell of fixtures.

The next eight games are against teams currently above them in the table, including encounters with automatic promotion contenders Stockport and Mansfield at the start of March.

The Exiles’ priority this season was survival after a summer of key departures and financial worries but they are now starting to look up under the ownership of former Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins.

Coughlan is starting his retention for next season and will be watching the current crop closely.

CHALLENGE: Scot Bennett makes a tackle for Newport against Notts County (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

“We have some really tough games in a tough period,” said the boss. “It will be a great to see how the lads go, it's a great test for them and a yardstick as to where we want to be and go.

“It's a great gauge and at the end of this period we will have a real idea of who we are, what we can do and who can come with us to the next level. This is a great test for the players.

“People might get carried away because we have won so many games of late but there's a long way to go and a lot of work to be done at this club. That was evident against Notts County.”

League Two (Image: EFL)

Coughlan has repeatedly stressed that County’s first target is 50 points that traditionally guarantees League Two safety.

When they hit that he wants to get to 58 to beat last season’s tally with the aim of a higher finish than the 15th they managed in 2022/23.

“It was a rare off night [against Notts] and I am looking for a reaction,” said Coughlan, whose side are joint top of the form guide with Crewe.

“If I take a step back and look overall at the last two months then it has been a hell of a journey, but I don’t want it to stop and I want to keep going.

“That was a bit of a reality check and, as I've told the players and said in the press once or twice, when you think you've cracked this game it has a habit of giving you a size nine up the backside.

“We got that against Notts County and we thoroughly deserved it because we weren’t good enough.

“But it's been a great period and it's now about going on another run, getting more points and building.”

Gillingham, who County beat 2-0 in Kent thanks to a pair of Omar Bogle penalties, were set to go into the play-off spots on Tuesday until a late Swindon equaliser.