Why is there growing optimism at Newport County?

From fears to belief, a feel-good factor has returned to Newport County.

Seven unbeaten and just two points off the play-off places, Hayden Mullins seems to be reinvigorating a club that spent almost all of last season worrying for their EFL future.

This time last year, a 2-0 defeat by Cheltenham Town left the Exiles with just one league win.

Less than a month later, a 1-0 loss at Shrewsbury Town brought an end to Dave Hughes’ tenure as manager, with County four points adrift of safety.

Cue a battle to avoid relegation that stretched all the way to the final day.

Heading into this season, with yet another managerial change, the fears were that the same would happen again this term.

However, a little over two months into the new campaign, the mood could not be more different at Rodney Parade.

Appointed only a fortnight before the season started, following Christian Fuch’s shock departure, Mullins is a key reason for that change.

Rather than slowly finding his feet, the former Fulham under-21s boss has made Newport his own team in double-quick time.

Cohesion, belief and results have all been on the up.

The Exiles are among the form teams in League Two, and suddenly fans are dreaming of the play-offs.

That may be a stretch for Mullins at this stage, but he admits players are beginning to believe in themselves after several seasons spent battling relegation.

“The belief comes from the boys knowing that we are a good team,” said Mullins.

“You speak to most managers, and they would explain how difficult it is to play against us. We’re not far away at all.

“The boys see it in video [meetings] and training, and they believe. We just need to keep building on that.”

As Newport prepare to host fifth-placed York City on Saturday, 17 October (15:00 BST), BBC Sport Wales looks at the three pillars behind the Exiles’ impressive start.

Experience ‘pivotal’ in driving standards

Newport’s line-up for their 3-0 opening-day victory against Rochdale featured more than 300 additional EFL appearances compared with the side that narrowly avoided relegation last season.

The difference is clear.

Their summer recruits have brought a wealth of experience, with leadership-group members Kyle Cameron (118 appearances), Cameron Norman (291), Christian Doidge (158) and Harrison Biggins (250) alone boasting more than 800 EFL appearances between them.

Last season, aside from Biggins, their most experienced player was Courtney Baker-Richardson with 184 appearances.

County also had the youngest squad in League Two and fielded sides with an average age below 24 on five occasions.

Under Mullins, the squad’s average age has risen to over 26, helping the former West Ham midfielder build a “really good core group” in south Wales.

“We recruited well as a football club,” said Mullins.

“It was needed, and with what we want to do with the younger players, we need that spine and experience in the group. Those boys have been pivotal.

“I hear the noise and the information they’re giving each other, and it’s all the right things. It’s a really good atmosphere, a strong, demanding atmosphere.”

But Newport’s progress has not been built on experience alone.

Loan signings Matt Dibley-Dias and Tanatswa Nyakuhwa, along with Shaquille Gwengwe who was plucked from non-league, have complemented the club’s senior figures.

“At the moment, good players are missing out, and you know full well that if you don’t perform, someone else is going to come in and do it,” said Biggins.

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Defensive solidity the ‘foundation’ of success

Teams that win titles fundamentally have good defences.

Coventry City had the best defensive record, conceding just 45 goals, on their way to the Championship title last season, while Arsenal won the Premier League with the best defensive record, shipping just 27.

And though Newport are a far cry from those sides, a more resilient defence has been a major boost.

County have already kept four clean sheets in 10 league matches. It took until the 23rd game of last season to reach the same total.

By the conclusion of last season, Newport had kept just seven clean sheets and had leaked 77 goals. Only three sides shipped more.

This season’s numbers paint a different picture.

Newport’s goals-against average has fallen from 1.6 per game last term to 1.2, while they have conceded just four league goals at Rodney Parade.

There have also been signs of greater game management.

Last season, Newport dropped points from winning positions on 11 occasions, and lost by virtue of late goals early in this campaign, too.

However, since Salford City’s dramatic comeback in September, Mullins’ charges have seen out victories against Grimsby Town and Colchester United, while earning a battling draw at Gillingham.

Rodney Parade as County’s playground

County have also rediscovered home comforts.

Newport did not win at Rodney Parade until New Year’s Day last season, finishing the campaign with just six home victories.

This season, they have three wins and two draws from five matches, and Mullins has talked about harnessing Rodney Parade’s vociferous atmosphere from day one.

“Teams come there, and nobody gets anything easy,” Biggins insisted.

Away from home has been tougher, with no win as yet. In fact, the Exiles have lost more away games than any other EFL side across the calendar year.

But Mullins has shown he is willing to be pragmatic. Back-to-back goalless draws suggest they are developing a tough edge on their travels.

“If you do want to get out of the league by playing football, you have to have a really big squad and some really good individuals,” he said.

“To sustain it for 46 games is tough. If you look at most teams in the division, a lot are pretty direct. A lot play to their strengths. We’re no different.

“We’ve got things that we do well as a team. It would be crazy not to do them.

“The only thing we’re focused on is how we’re going to affect games, pick up points and be really effective in this division.”

York City travel to south Wales looking to inflict a first home defeat on County.

But with the chance to leapfrog their visitors and move into the play-off places, confidence is rising around Rodney Parade.

“We should be positive. It’s been really pleasing up until this point being the manager of this group,” added Mullins.

“The boundaries for us are where we set them.”

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