NEWPORT County AFC are hopeful that Joe Day and Ryan Jackson will be fit to play their part in the Easter double-header against Hartlepool United and Exeter City.

The pair were both forced off with injuries during County’s 2-0 win at Accrington Stanley on Friday night.

Goalkeeper Day was withdrawn at half-time at the Crown Ground as a precaution after suffering a minor groin strain.

And right wing-back Jackson lasted only 20 minutes before a tight hamstring ended his evening’s work.

Replacements Jamie Stephens and David Tutonda played their part as the Exiles kept a third straight clean sheet and they sealed the win thanks to second half strikes from Aaron O’Connor and third substitute Shaun Jeffers.

But manager Jimmy Dack and assistant Wayne Hatswell will be hoping that Day and Jackson, both star performers this season, are available for the busy holiday fixture list.

County host relegation-threatened Hartlepool at Rodney Parade on Good Friday before an Easter Monday trip to face play-off rivals Exeter.

Hartlepool moved out of the bottom two with a 2-1 home win over Cambridge United on Saturday – their fourth straight victory.

Exeter are down to 11th, six points behind sixth-placed County, following their 1-1 draw with Morecambe at the weekend but will still harbour hopes of a top seven finish if they can beat Dack’s men.

Assistant manager Hatswell hailed the victory at Accrington as one of the club’s biggest wins of the season, however, and they go into the last seven games of the campaign full of confidence.

“That was probably one of our biggest wins of the season because we played before everyone else and it was a vital win,” said Hatswell.

“It keeps the confidence going and it’s great that we’re grinding out results now.

“You know you’re going to have to battle when you come to Accrington on a Friday night.

“We prepared really well all week for a tough game and, credit to our lads, they fought for it.

“Everyone from front to back worked hard and deserved the win.

“We knew that with our front two, with the way they work, we could get something,” he added.

“We stifled them in a lot of areas, frustrated them and we got a bit of luck with the first goal and the second we hit them on the break.”

Having failed to sign a new striker before last week’s emergency loan window closed, Hatswell was full of praise for O’Connor and fellow front man Miles Storey, as well as super sub Jeffers.

“We knew that with our front two, with the way they work, we could get something,” he said.

“We had Rhys [Healey] in training with us and we wanted to bring him in but I’m a big believer that things happen for a reason.

“If the strikers want to be in the team and be part of something special then it’s up to them; they’ve got to produce.

“They’ve been working very hard and in any level you’re only as good as your front two.”