NEWPORT County AFC hope that a settled defensive unit can help them avoid a ‘basketball’ style game with free-flowing Notts County.

The Exiles travel to Meadow Lane in League Two on Saturday (kick-off 12.30pm) to face a Magpies side who gave them a pair of hammerings last season.

Notts finished 2023/24 with the division’s best average possession percentage of 64.8 and average number of accurate passes per game of 526.4 (100 more than second-placed MK Dons).

They have picked up where they left off in the current campaign, topping the chart with 64.6 per cent possession and 486.6.

Stuart Maynard’s side are sixth in the table that matters and would, temporarily at least, go second behind Port Vale with victory in the lunchtime kick-off.

Even though star man Jodi Jones is sidelined, the Exiles are braced for a defensive examination but head to the East Midlands buoyed by a clean sheet in the goalless draw with sixth-placed Grimsby.

“It will be a good test against one of the top teams in the division,” said central defender Ciaran Brennan about the Notts fixtures.

“They will have a lot of the ball and you don’t want it to turn into a 'basketball' match with them because they have quality players. We have to set our stall out and be solid."

LEADER: Ciaran Brennan is a key man at the back for Newport CountyLEADER: Ciaran Brennan is a key man at the back for Newport County (Image: Kian Abdullah/Huw Evans Agency)

Brennan has been a firm fixture in a County back line that has frequently changed shape and personnel because of injury, suspension and international duty.

He was joined in the middle by Matt Baker against the Mariners with Nelson Jardim opting to stick with co-captain James Clarke as a substitute.

Fit-again Shane McLoughlin demonstrated his versatility as left-back with Cameron Evans switching to the right.

“I’ve had a few different partners now. Me and ‘Bakes’ get on well and I feel that we complement each other well,” said Brennan.

“We want to get on the ball and we defended well against Grimsby with a clean sheet and looking solid.

“You want to build relationships and I always feel that you want a settled defensive unit, with people that you have played alongside week in and week out.

“That hasn’t been the case but that’s football and we have adapted quite well.”

County look likely to be forced into changes further forward after captain Aaron Wildig and winger Bobby Kamwa came off against Grimsby.

Left-back Anthony Glennon and midfielders Jamie Miley and Noah Mawene have also been sidelined by injury in recent weeks while striker Hamzad Kargbo is inching towards a return after suffering a disclocated shoulder on opening weekend at Cheltenham.