Preview: Fleetwood Town vs. Newport County - prediction, team news, lineups

Fleetwood Town and Newport County square off on Saturday afternoon with little to play for during the closing two matches of the season.

While the home side sit in 15th position in the League Two table, Newport are down in 20th place, albeit safe from relegation.

Match preview

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In their first season back in League Two, Fleetwood have largely failed to impress, never being in contention for an immediate return to the third tier.

Pete Wild will already be looking to 2025-26, but he will want to end the campaign on a high having failed to oversee a win in the last four matches.

Just two victories have come from the previous nine encounters, both on their travels, with Fleetwood not prevailing at Highbury Stadium since February 8.

On the flip side, this is a team that have suffered just four defeats on familiar territory all campaign, drawing 12 of their 22 such encounters.

Fleetwood head into this game having scored just once during their last 360 minutes of football, that run coming on the back of eight strikes being netted in two matches.

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Meanwhile, Newport will play their final two matches of the season with a different manager in the dugout courtesy of Nelson Jardim's exit on Thursday.

With survival secured, the Portuguese will not fulfil the closing double-header of his one-year contract, a decision yet to be made on who will take over in the short term.

A mutual parting of the ways is hardly a surprise with Newport having prevailed in just two of their last 14 matches, albeit earning a goalless draw with Walsall on Easter Monday.

The aim now is to try to finish as high as 18th place, there only being a one-point gap to Milton Keynes Dons and Harrogate Town above them in the standings.

Team News

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Wild could potentially hand a first league start to youngster Will Johnson in the Fleetwood back three.

Zech Medley is another player under consideration for an opportunity in defence, while Danny Mayor may return further forward.

Newport will need to make a change in midfield after Ciaran Brennan was sent off during the latter stages versus Walsall.

Jaden Warner is also in line to feature at centre-back having replaced James Clarke in the first half of that fixture.

Fleetwood Town possible starting lineup: Lynch; Johnson, Bolton, Potter; Broom, Virtue, Morrison, Mayor, Hunt; Marsh, Moore

Newport County possible starting lineup: Townsend; Thomas, Warner, Baker, McLoughlin; Evans, Antwi; Spellman, Whitmore, Kamwa; Hudlin

We say: Fleetwood Town 1-1 Newport County

With both teams out of form heading into this encounter, we do not expect the most entertaining of fixtures. An irrelevant low-scoring draw could play out, not really benefiting either side in their efforts to end the season on a high.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.