NEWPORT County AFC manager Warren Feeney has warned his players they need to show more “desire” and “hunger” if they are to match the side he considers the best in League Two tomorrow night.

County host second-placed Oxford United in an all-ticket clash at Rodney Parade looking to end a run of six straight defeats that has seen them slump to 22nd in the table.

The Exiles’ Football League status will be secure no matter what the result if 23rd-place York City fail to beat Portsmouth.

But after a dreadful run and a poor performance in defeat at Stevenage on Saturday, Feeney wants his players to give the fans something to cheer.

“We need to raise our game against the best team in the league I think,” he said. “It’s a big one for us.

“It’s very important how we start the game because it wasn’t good enough [on Saturday].

“Even when you go 1-0 down you’ve got to grind it out and get together.

“It’s a big game for us but at the end of the day it’s down to the players.

“I said to them ‘I want you to show how you react’ and I’m hoping for a good performance and a good result.

“It’s a big game for them. I know we’re close and the aim is just to stay in this league.

“But the bigger picture is I don’t want to lose football games. Hopefully we’ll put it right.”

Asked if he will make changes following Saturday’s dismal display, Feeney said: “I don’t think there’s enough people putting pressure on people.

“We are where we are for a reason and I’m not a big one for changing.

“I thought we’d hurt Stevenage with the way I set up.

“We built on it all week and it didn’t work unfortunately so I will have to sit down and have a look at what way we can hurt Oxford.

“But the main thing is desire and hunger.

“I don’t think it’s a great league,” he added. “I don’t think there’s much in the league.

“It’s League Two and you’ve got to be organised but it’s about desire and hunger and we didn’t show that in the first half [on Saturday] at all.”

County will welcome local steelworkers onto the pitch before the game tomorrow to unveil a ‘Save Our Steel’ banner that they will then place on the North Terrace for the remainder of the game.

Speaking about the threat of closure of the Tata Steel plants at Port Talbot and Llanwern, Exiles director Gavin Foxall said: “Given the club’s origins there is a long history between the club and the local steel industry.

“Our new-found status as a community club strengthens that bond and we hope that leading the team out onto the pitch will help raise the profile of their plight and we know everyone will show their support.”