Sports Mole previews Saturday’s League Two clash between Newport County and Grimsby Town, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Grimsby Town will be bidding to make it back-to-back victories in League Two when they head to Rodney Parade on Saturday afternoon to tackle Newport County.
The visitors are currently seventh in the League Two table, picking up 24 points from their first 15 matches of the campaign, while Newport occupy 15th, collecting 19 points from their opening 15 games of the season.
Match preview
Newport lost in the League Two promotion playoff final in both 2018-19 and 2020-21, but they have been 11th, 15th and 18th in their last three campaigns in the fourth tier of English football.
Nelson Jardim‘s side currently sit 15th in this season’s League Two table, boasting a record of six wins, one draw and eight defeats from 15 matches, which has brought them 19 points.
Newport are only actually five points off the playoff spots at this stage of proceedings, but their recent form has been disappointing, losing each of their last three games in three separate competitions.
Indeed, the Welsh outfit lost 4-2 at home to Peterborough United in the FA Cup at the start of the month, before suffering a 2-1 defeat to Tranmere Rovers in League Two last weekend.
Newport were back in action against Reading in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night, suffering a 3-0 defeat to the Royals, with the result seeing them finish third in Southern Group H and exit the competition in the group stage.
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Grimsby, meanwhile, were also in EFL Trophy action on Tuesday night, losing 3-2 at Chesterfield, with the result leaving them bottom of Northern Group G, so they have also exited the competition.
The Mariners finished 21st in League Two last season, avoiding relegation by just seven points, but they are currently up in seventh spot in the table, picking up 24 points from their 15 matches.
Grimsby are actually the only team in League Two not to have drawn a league game this season, having won eight and lost seven of their 15 matches, while they have one of the poorer defensive records in the division this term, conceding 25 times.
David Artell‘s side recorded a 1-0 victory over AFC Wimbledon in the league last weekend, with that win ending a three-game losing run, which included a 1-0 defeat to Wealdstone in the first round of the FA Cup.
Grimsby are unbeaten in their last four matches with Newport, meanwhile, including a 1-0 victory when the two teams last locked horns in April 2024, but the reverse game last season ended in a 1-1 draw.
Newport County League Two form:
Newport County form (all competitions):
Grimsby Town League Two form:
Grimsby Town form (all competitions):
Team News
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Newport will be without the services of Kyle Jameson on Saturday, with the 26-year-old suspended due to the red card that he picked up in the team’s 2-1 defeat to Tranmere in the league last weekend.
James Clarke is therefore in line for a start, and there will be wholesale changes to the side that took to the field for the first whistle in the EFL Trophy against Reading on Tuesday night.
Nicholas Townsend will be back between the sticks, while there will be a return at centre-forward for Kyle Hudlin, who has scored four times in 10 League Two appearances this season.
As for Grimsby, head coach Artell could name the same side that started against AFC Wimbledon in the league last weekend.
Daniel Rose is the team’s leading goalscorer in League Two this season, coming up with four goals, while Luca Barrington has three goals in the league this term and will also be in the XI.
Head coach Artell made wholesale changes against Chesterfield in the EFL Trophy, and Curtis Thompson will not be available for this clash after being forced off in the first half of that match through injury.
Newport County possible starting lineup:
Townsend; Baker, Brennan, Clarke, Evans; Morris, Miley, Wildig; Spellman, Hudlin, Kamwa
Grimsby Town possible starting lineup:
Wright; Warren, Rodgers, McJannet, Hume; McEachran, Khouri; Svanthorsson, Green, Barrington; Rose
We say: Newport County 1-1 Grimsby Town
Grimsby are yet to draw in the league this season, but we believe that run will come to an end on Saturday. Two of the last three League Two contests between these two sides have finished level, and we can see a tight match ending 1-1.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
