Mansfield vs Newport preview

Posted Monday, August 18, 2014 by PA

Mansfield will have Matt Rhead available for the first time this season when Newport visit the One Call Stadium.

Rhead has sat out the Stags opening three league and cup fixtures through suspension, serving a four-game ban for the red card he received during the penultimate match of the last campaign. The big striker may go straight into the starting line-up on Tuesday night in Liam Hearn's absence.

Hearn hobbled out of the Capital One Cup defeat to Sheffield United last week with a knee problem and will be out until Christmas after scans revealed cartilage damage.

Martin Riley (groin) was also injured at Bramall Lane and is likely to remain out after missing Saturday's home win over Oxford, while fellow defender Amari'i Bell has been recalled from his loan spell by parent club Birmingham.

Newport will check on Kevin Feely ahead of the trip.

The former Charlton man picked up a toe infection meaning Andrew Hughes was a last-minute change to their starting line-up on Saturday and Hughes looks set to keep his place if Irish youngster Feely is not given the green light.

Boss Justin Edinburgh says he will think about changes after their capitulation at Morecambe. The Exiles went 2-0 up only to lose 3-2 and, especially in defence, there are likely to be alternations afoot.

But striker Aaron O'Connor looks set to keep his place after netting his first goal of the season against the Shrimps.