NEWPORT County AFC manager Terry Butcher believes loan signings Zak Ansah and Josh Laurent will provide the cutting edge his team has been missing.

Striker Ansah, aged 21, signed on loan from Charlton Athletic yesterday, just 24 hours after 20-year-old midfielder Laurent arrived from fellow Championship club Brentford.

Both could play in Saturday’s home clash with Leyton Orient, subject to international clearance.

And Butcher is convinced that Ansah, who scored once in six appearances on loan at Plymouth Argyle last season, can add the killer instinct in front of goal that County lacked in Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat at Hartlepool.

“Zak has proven already that he’s got a cutting edge and Josh can get forward and score goals as well,” said the Exiles boss.

“As we saw on Tuesday we are getting into good positions and our approach play has been great.

“It’s just in that final third where we need that bit of experience, that bit of drive and something different to turn our good play into goals.”

Ansah, who started off at Arsenal and was once an unused substitute in the Champions League for the Gunners, has played for England under-17s and was also called up for Ghana under-20s ahead of the 2013 FIFA U20 World Cup.

“Zak scored for Plymouth in League Two last season and he’s been banging the goals in for Charlton [under-21s] as well,” said Butcher.

“Whoever we spoke to about him said we should take him because he’s an exciting talent and hopefully our fans will be happy with that signing.

“With Lenell John-Lewis out for we don’t know how long and Aaron Collins, who is only 18, having just a couple of League games under his belt we haven’t got a lot of cover there.

“He’s another one to come in and add competition for the front spots.”

Laurent has played in central defence for the Brentford development sides but Butcher sees him as a midfielder.

“Josh is an attacking midfield player who can play all across the midfield,” he said.

“He’s young and he’s eager and he’s got good legs to get about the park and we could play all three of them in the middle with Yan Klukowski and Mark Byrne.”