England rugby supporters won't be the only sporting fans heading over the Welsh border on Saturday as Sutton head to Newport for a Sky Bet League Two clash at Rodney Parade. U's will be wearing all green for the game.
It promises to be a tight game between two sides who are both unbeaten in their last five games and have both lost just once in their last ten games, but while that ten game period has seen Sutton win six and draw three of the other nine games, Newport's record is the exact opposite, with three wins and six draws, and so while Sutton go in to the game two points outside the play-off area, Newport are in 16th place, twelve points short of the play-off zone and eleven clear of the bottom two.
Newport come in to the game on the back of a single goal win at Hartlepool on Tuesday, when Micky Demetriou scored his second stoppage time winner in the space of ten days, the long throw expert also grabbing the only goal of the game at Barrow.
There was also a stoppage time winner in the game at Rodney Parade last season, producing one of Sutton's most painful defeats of the season as Matty Dolan's late penalty completed Newport's comeback for a 3-2 win. Despite having Craig Eastmond sent off U's had led 2-0 at half time, David Ajiboye scoring both goals, the first, a sensational individual effort, winning the Goal of the Season award for U's last season. The sides drew 1-1 at the VBS on the opening day of this season, Omar Bugiel's goal cancelled out by Omar Bogle.
Eastmond is available for selection again after completing his two match suspension for his red card at Hartlepool, but Bugiel will again be missing as he sits out the second game of his two match ban for accumulated cautions.
Referee Tom Nield is in his sixth season as an EFL referee, and his only previous game in charge of Sutton was last season's 1-0 win at Crawley.
Tickets are available on the day at Rodney Parade from gate 7, CASH ONLY. Prices are £22 for adults, £18 for seniors (age 60+), £16 for students (NUS card or proof of education required) and young adults (age 16-21), £10 for under 16s, £8 for under 12s and free for under 6s if accompanied by a paying adult or senior.
Ambulant disabled supporters receiving middle or higher rate disability allowance pay the applicable price for their age and receive a free carer's ticket.
Our accommodation is in the covered Bisley Stand.
Further details for away supporters at Rodney Parade can be found here.
Supporters unable to travel to the game can listen to a live audio commentary through our iFollow service, with a match pass costing £2.50 or a monthly pass £4.49. Overseas supporters can watch a live stream of the game for £10. Click here to purchase the relevant pass - the overseas option will not be available to UK supporters.
Supporters not travelling to Newport may like to know that our academy side, having finished high enough in the EFL Youth Alliance South East Division to qualify for Merit League 1, will be playing away to AFC Wimbledon in the first of the games in that competition, kick off at 11am at the KCL Sports Ground in New Malden.
The Supporters' coach to Newport is fully booked, and leaves the VBS at 8.45am.
For independent travellers, drivers should leave the M4 at junction 24 and take the B4237 towards Newport (East). In about two and a half miles at a set of lights turn left, still signposted the B4237. Go under a railway bridge and turn right at the next set of lights in to Corporation Road. The ground and the away supporters' entrance is on the left. There is no parking at the ground, but street parking is available around the ground and the town centre multi-storey car parks are only a short walk away.
By rail you can travel from Paddington to Newport on an hourly service at 48 minutes past the hour, taking about an hour and a half. It's about a ten minute walk from the station to the ground,- come out of the main exit and turn left in to Queensway. Keep going until you get to a large roundabout, and take the pedestrian underpass to the centre of the roundabout. Turn left towards Clarence Pier and the River Usk. On returning to ground level cross the bridge in front of you over the river and turn right in to Rodney Parade. Return trains are at 17.31, 19.04 or 19.32, and you can also catch the 17.41 or 18.14 and change at Bristol Temple Meads.
Supporters are reminded that due to the rugby, road and rail routes from London to Wales are likely to be busy and plenty of time should be allowed for the journey.