NEWPORT County AFC captain Joss Labadie insists nobody will be underestimating Maldon & Tiptree in tonight’s FA Cup second-round clash.

Labadie accepts that the televised tie against the non-league minnows, who have already knocked out League Two Leyton Orient, is a “potential banana skin” for the Exiles.

But he’s confident that they can put last week’s 1-0 home defeat to Oldham Athletic behind them and secure a place in Monday’s third-round draw.

“It’s going to be bit different, but we’ve still got to apply ourselves in the same way we would for any other game,” said the skipper.

“We need to go into the game with a professional manner and hopefully get the win.

“Maldon have got some good players,” he added. “They’ll be no mugs.

“It’ll be a tough game. They went to Leyton Orient and got a positive result and effectively played them off the park.

“And the cameras are there because it’s a potential banana skin for the team and because of our recent history in the cup as well, so they’re expecting a good game.

“It’s a small ground and they’ll have the fans right behind them to try to create a bit of an intimidating atmosphere.

“We’ve got to apply ourselves in the right way and hopefully get the result we need.”

South Wales Argus:

Michael Flynn’s men have beaten Leeds United, Leicester City and Middlesbrough to make the fourth-round in 2018 and the fifth-round last season.

They haven’t been knocked out by a non-league side since losing at Kidderminster Harriers in 2013, but Labadie knows all about being on the wrong end of a cup shock.

“It’s the FA Cup and anything can happen,” said the 29-year-old midfielder.

“When I was starting out, I was on loan at Shrewsbury Town and Staines Town came to the New Meadow and they turned us over 1-0 [in 2009].

“Results like that stick in the mind and hopefully we don’t have the same feeling this weekend.

“We’ve had a really good recent history in the FA Cup and it’s something that we love and we enjoy.

“It gives the fans something to shout about and we want to progress in this competition again.”

Labadie scored in the first-round replay win over Grimsby Town but last week’s defeat to Oldham was a third in a row in the league.

“It’s part and parcel of football,” said Labadie. “It happens.

“The results have been indifferent recently but we need to all get behind the team, the fans included, and push on because it’s just a blip.

“We can’t quite put our finger on why it’s not quite happening at the moment but we’re working hard every day to try to rectify the mistakes we’re making and to build the confidence in the team and I’m sure it will turn around really quickly.”

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