MIDFIELDER Matty Dolan says the Newport County AFC players are determined not to let a promising season fizzle out, insisting they don’t want to be “just a mid-table team” in League Two.

It’s been a season of two halves for Michael Flynn’s men so far. After 13 games they were third in the table on 27 points. After 26 games they are down in 13th having only picked up two wins and three draws in the last 13 league matches.

County host eighth-placed Exeter City at Rodney Parade this afternoon as they look to bounce back from last week’s 3-2 stoppage-time defeat at Crewe Alexandra.

“We were all angry to lose in the way that we did,” said Dolan. “But we can only look forward now. We’ve got a big game against Exeter and we need to make sure we get the three points.

“You do have blips in the season, it always happens,” he added.

“But this one has gone on too long now and as a group we’re doing everything we can to put it right.”

The current run of poor results is all the more frustrating for Dolan and his teammates after such a fine start to the season.

“We’ve proved how good we can be on our day,” said the 25-year-old.

“We went to Tranmere and Oldham and won 1-0 and 2-1 at Port Vale and kept things solid. We need to get back to that.

“We have a real opportunity this season. We want to do something special and we want to be fighting at the right end of the table.

“We don’t want to be just a mid-table team. Last year was so frustrating for us as players and this year we had a great start. We don’t want to let that fizzle out.”

Dolan is still managing a hamstring problem but he’s desperate to help turn the team’s fortunes around.

“It’s been frustrating for me being in and out,” he said. “I’m doing everything that I can to make sure I’m right. “Injuries are part of football but I’ll do anything I can to put on the shirt.”

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