NEWPORT County AFC host Coventry City on Friday afternoon as they aim to complete a Football League double over the Sky Blues for the first time since the 1953-54 season.

Loan star Reece Cole scored the only goal of the game on his Exiles debut to give Michael Flynn’s men a shock 1-0 win at the Ricoh Arena back in August.

But that was as good as it got for the Brentford midfielder who made just five appearances before a knee injury forced him to return to west London.

And, while County battle to keep their fading League Two play-off hopes alive, Cole is in fine form as he looks to get his season back on track in the Brentford B team.

The 20-year-old told the club’s official website: “It’s been a very up and down season for me. pre-season I started very high, got a few goals for the first team and put in a few good performances.

“Then I went on loan to Newport County, got a goal there and then things sort of changed for the worse.

“I picked up the injury and it knocked me out for three or four months, so I’m hoping to try and get my season back on track.

“I’ll try and get my name about a bit more, scoring goals and getting assists, and just performing in the B team.”

South Wales Argus:

Cole faces a battle to force his way into the Brentford first team with the midfield positions looking increasingly crowded and he is putting in extra work behind the scenes.

He added: “I’ve got to keep on doing what I am doing every day. I’ve got extra sessions to come in and do every day because I want to do the most I can.

“As soon as I take my foot off that pedal, I might get a chance and then look sloppy in front of the gaffer. That’s the last thing that I need to be showing.”

Cole scored in a 3-1 win over Manchester United under-23s last week and also netted as the Bees’ B team beat Chelsea under-23s this afternoon.

“Scoring goals is massively important as a midfielder,” he added.

“The type of midfielder I am, going from box to box, I need to be able to score goals as well as defend. I need to play the passes that make the assists and things like that, so to get goals to my name gets my name out there a bit more as well.

“Hopefully I can keep on scoring the goals between now and the end of the season.

“I’d like to be a first team squad member. Hopefully, I can get a few more appearances under my belt and just try and keep on impressing in these B team games. I’ll try to keep getting goals and just impressing really.

“My main goal [next season], is to be a first team player [at Brentford].

“I want to prove to everyone, the staff and everyone else, that I can be a first team player and I can step up and do my job.”

South Wales Argus:

AFC Bournemouth striker Joe Quigley also made his debut for County at Coventry on August 19 (above).

He too made five appearances before falling out of favour and officially returned to the Premier League club in January.

The 21-year-old is now on loan at surprise National League play-off challengers Boreham Wood.

The Irishman is playing alongside former Exiles striker Shaun Jeffers and defender Jamie Turley, who is on loan at Meadow Park from Rodney Parade for the rest of the season.