Gaffer under no illusions as he looks to two-point average for ‘promotion form.’
Darren Ferguson was overjoyed at the improvement his Doncaster Rovers side have shown in recent weeks and has called for the upward curve to continue.
The Scot thinks the reintegration of returning senior figures such as Frazer Richardson, Mathieu Baudry, Craig Alcock, Paul Keegan and Gary McSheffrey could prove vital when the turn to the winter months is made.
He said: “I’ve been delighted, absolutely delighted. I’ve noticed a gradual improvement each game and that’s what I’m looking for.
“I like the way they are around training, I like the feeling, the environment around the training ground. If you were to go down you’d get the good feeling about the place, we’ve just got to make sure we keep improving and keep getting the wins.
“Up to now, I’ve been delighted; if we get the win on Saturday then we’re at an average of two points per game which is promotion form.
“Baudry is a new signing, he hasn’t kicked a ball. Alcock, we know what he can do, that will be like a new signing. McSheffrey too, these are good, good players that have played at a higher level than we are at now.
“The ones that are coming back have got a real good experience and possibly when you start come in to the winter months I think we’re going to need that. Hopefully we’re through the worst but credit to the players who’ve played because I think they’ve done well and I’ve seen improvement in them.”
Rovers host a Newport side with just one win to their name this campaign and Ferguson’s honest assessment that he has “no idea” how they’ll approach the game hinted that he was more concerned with how his team perform.
“I’ve no idea. We’ll work on if they press us, we’ll work on if they drop off us,” he said.
“They’ve got players I know but we’ve got to try as much as we can to focus on what we’re going to do rather than what they may try and do; it sounds simple but it isn’t.
“You never know how you’re going to perform on the day but it certainly won’t be for the lack of effort or commitment or a case of complacency – I don’t think there’ll be any of that.
“As I said last week I think we’re in a good place mentally, physically we look strong and we have to cope with different things that happen in a game.
“It’s important that if we can, we get to a standard that we’ve set. It’s easier said than done. Yes we want to perform and entertain but the key is to win.
“It might be game where we’re totally ‘off it’ with the ball but if we manage to get the win it’s much easier to iron out those problems on a Monday morning than if you lose. I do say to the fans as well that we’ve got to be patient; just because we’ve won 5-1 (against Morecambe) and we’re playing Newport people may just think we have to turn up but that wont be the case, it’ll be a hard game.”