NEWPORT County AFC manager Michael Flynn has warned his players that they must be up for the battle at relegation-threatened Chesterfield tomorrow.

County remain 12th in the League Two table after Friday’s 1-1 draw with promotion-chasing Coventry City at Rodney Parade.

Chesterfield are 20 points behind the Exiles in 23rd place and heading for a second successive relegation after finishing bottom of League One last season.

Jack Lester’s side were beaten by 10-man Port Vale on Friday but they still have two games in hand on their relegation rivals and they did beat fourth-placed Notts County in their last home match.

“I’m always up for a scrap,” said Flynn ahead of the trip to the Proact Stadium (kick-off 3pm).

“They’re fighting for their lives and it’s going to be a tough game.

“Every game is tough in this league. The players have set the standard again.

“They’ve got to put the performance in again that they did on Friday, off the ball and on the ball.”

Flynn was frustrated not to claim all three points against Coventry after a performance that was much-improved from the previous week’s defeat at home to struggling Crewe Alexandra.

And the manager knows his side need to pick up more points against teams at the wrong end of the table.

“What I said after the [Crewe] game about whether we can handle being the favourites is something that we need to get across to the players because when you look at it now I think it’s 18 points that we’ve dropped against the bottom five clubs.

“That’s no disrespect to those clubs because we’ve been one the last two seasons so we know what fighting spirit they’ll have.

“When we’ve gone on a good run and had some good wins at home and away against some of the big teams in the league it is frustrating that we’ve dropped points against the bottom clubs.

“The players definitely don’t go into any game thinking ‘we’re the favourites’ for this one.

“Nobody takes anything for granted but I think we just need to hammer home a little bit of assertiveness when we’re on top.”

South Wales Argus:

Flynn could be without striker Paul Hayes and utility man Robbie Willmott (above) tomorrow after both were forced off with injury concerns against Coventry.

“Paul Hayes will be struggling – he’s got a stiff calf,” he explained.

“It was a different leg from the other problem he had – I’m glad he hasn’t got three legs!

“He looked good when he was on as well.

“Robbie came off with his knee so we’ll have to assess that and we’ll go from there.

“The Easter period with two games in four days takes its toll and hopefully we’ve got enough players who feel fresh enough to go again.

“If they don’t then we’re going to have to make changes, it’s as simple as that.

“It’s a tough league and it’s a challenge.”