NEWPORT County AFC assistant manager Wayne Hatswell feels recent criticism following the club’s poor run of form in the league has been over the top, but he does admit that the Exiles need a good Christmas.
A stoppage-time equaliser against Stevenage last week halted a run of four successive defeats in League Two, but County have now gone six games without a win in the fourth tier.
They are down to 12th in the table, albeit with two games in hand on many of their rivals, and Hatswell knows that they need to get back to winning ways as soon as possible.
And three points at bottom club Morecambe tomorrow would be the perfect way to begin the frantic festive fixture list.
“It’s big trip for us at the start of a big period with the Christmas fixtures coming thick and fast,” said Hatswell.
“The boys are aware that it’s a big Christmas period for us.
“Those games in hand will come in the new year and we want to give ourselves the best chance of staying in that pack.
“We want to have a good Christmas period and then use that to have a better New Year and end of the season.”
As well as injuries and illness, with mumps in the camp over the past few weeks, Hatswell believes success in the cups has affected the Exiles’ league form.
“People keep saying to me; if you have cup success, you get league failure,” said Michael Flynn’s number two.
“And that’s quite apparent here over the last few years because of our cup successes.
“The injuries have come back to hurt us a little bit too, and the mumps outbreak as well.
“The squad is thin at the moment and you can’t get players in [until January].
“But we’re going to regroup, like we always do, and hopefully we can start off the Christmas period with three points.”
Reflecting on the league form, Hatswell said: “You won’t hear any of us saying we’re on a bad run. I think a lot of it comes from you lot [the media] and the fans as well.
“It’s not something that we want to keep bringing up, that’s for sure.
“It’s hard enough winning football matches as it is, let alone taking any negative thoughts into it.
“We want to take them away from the players, take the pressure off and let them try to enjoy training.
“We’ve always bounced back,” he added. “This run is unusual. People have got used to us overachieving.
“This is a tough league. Trust me, I’ve been in it long enough.
“Our record against Morecambe is awful. They are tough games because they’re fighting for their lives.
“And, with the weather and the pitches and the number of games, it can be a brutal league.”
Read more: Newport County defensive duo fit to face Morecambe
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