Sutton United and Newport County take to the pitch for the first time in 2024 when they go head to head at the VBS Community Stadium in round 26 of League Two on Monday.
Having suffered a 3-1 loss in August's reverse fixture, the Amber and Chocolates will head into the game looking to get one over the visitors and pick up a fourth consecutive New Year's Day victory since 2020.
Match preview
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Sutton United rounded off what has been a forgettable 2023 on Friday as they fell to a 1-0 defeat against Gillingham when the sides squared off at the Priestfield Stadium.
In a game where Harry Smith picked up a 26th-minute red card, the visitors were guilty of a lack of bite in attack as they failed to threaten Gillingham before Scott Malone struck in the 72nd minute to hand the Gills all three points.
Prior to that, the Amber and Chocolates snapped their run of six successive league games without a win on Boxing Day, when they scraped a 1-0 victory over AFC Wimbledon courtesy of a second-half strike from Omar Sowunmi at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.
Having secured a 14th-placed finish in League Two last term, an underwhelming first half of the season sees Jason Goodliffe's men sit 23rd in the standings, six points below Colchester United just outside the relegation zone.
Alongside their frequent struggles in attack, where they have scored just once in their last four games, Sutton's poor league form has been owing to their lack of defensive sturdiness as they have conceded the joint-most goals in the division this season (51).
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Despite the full-time result, there were plenty of positives to take away from Newport County's last game of the year as they came from behind to salvage a 1-1 draw against Crewe Alexandra on Friday.
Following a 4-2 victory over Forest Green Rovers at the Rodney Parade Stadium on Boxing Day, the Ironsides set out in search of back-to-back home wins for the first time since beating Doncaster Rovers and Sutton back in August.
However, it was Crewe who drew first blood courtesy of a 48th-minute strike from Christopher Long before in-form striker Will Evans restored parity shortly after the hour mark to force a share of the spoils.
Newport are now unbeaten in four of their last five outings in what has been a solid end to the year, claiming two draws and two wins, including a resounding 4-1 victory against Barnet in the FA Cup on December 12.
Friday's result also made it five consecutive home games without defeat for Graham Coughlan's side (two wins and three draws); however, their struggles have come on their travels, where they have lost nine of their 12 matches this season and rank 20th in the league.
With 30 points from 25 matches, Newport are currently 18th in the League Two standings, level on points with 17th-placed Tranmere Rovers, but could potentially move level with 12th-placed Swindon with all three points on Monday.
Team News
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Twenty-eight-year-old Smith will sit out the New Year's Day clash as he serves the first of his three-match suspension after receiving an early bath against Gillingham on Friday.
In his absence, the experienced Lee Angol will push for his eighth league start of the season, forming the Amber and Chocolates' two-man attack with Shrewsbury Town loanee Aiden O'Brien.
On the injury front, Sutton will be without several players down the spine of the team, including the likes of Scott Kashket, Craig Eastmond and defender Louis John.
With his leveller against Crewe, Evans now has 15 league goals under his belt this season and we expect the Welsh striker to spearhead the Newport attack once again.
The defensive duo of Declan Drysdale and Josh Seberry continue their length spells on the sidelines, while Kyle Jameson is currently recuperating from an injury that he sustained back in August.
Coughlan will also be unable to call upon the services of former Barrow man Offrande Zanzala, who has been out of action since picking up a severe injury in February.
Sutton United possible starting lineup:
Bouzanis; Milsom, Kizzi, Goodliffe, Jackson; Fadahunsi, Beautyman, Clay, Pereira; Angol, O'Brien
Newport County possible starting lineup:
Townsend; Payne, Clarke, Baker, Delaney, McLoughlin; Charsley, Bennett, Morris; Evans, Palmer-Houlden
We say: Sutton United 0-1 Newport County
With the second half of the season now underway, Sutton and Newport will look to begin the new year on the front foot and pick up a morale-boosting result. Coughlan's men head into the game as the more in-form side and we can see them scraping a narrow victory in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Joshua Ojele
