WARREN Feeney has responded to Hartlepool boss Craig Hignett’s demand that his side put four past Newport County AFC today by claiming: “I’d like my team to score five!”

Feeney had a playful glint in his eye when giving his take on Hignett’s message to his players ahead of this afternoon’s clash, but the former knows the Exiles are in for a tough test.

The County manager expects to face a Pools backlash at Victoria Park (kick-off 3pm) as the hosts look for a big response following their 2-1 defeat to Notts County last weekend.

And in Billy Paynter, Nathan Thomas and Lewis Alessandra, Feeney is aware that United possess men who could give the visitors problems.

That loss to John Sheridan’s Magpies was Hartlepool’s first of the season in League Two, and Hignett has made it clear to his troops that they can’t make a habit of surrendering leads.

As ever, opposite number Feeney is only concerned with what his side do on the day, with the Exiles hoping the long trip north is a profitable one.

“It’s going to be a difficult game,” he said. “Craig is a fantastic manager and was a fantastic player.

“There are some good players in his ranks but we’ve just got to worry about ourselves.

“He wants to play football and do it the right way. He has got Billy Paynter who’s a threat, Nathan Thomas and Lewis Alessandra, but we’ve got to go up there full of confidence.

“I don’t think we’ve been bad this season and we should definitely be sitting on five points. If we can pick up a result there I’d be delighted with our start.”

And when asked what he made of Hignett’s comments earlier in the week, when the former Middlesbrough and Blackburn midfielder called for Pools to hit County for four, he added: “I’d like my team to score five!

“Craig’s brilliant and he’ll worry about his team but I don’t like to talk about the opposition, we’ve just got to concentrate on what we do.

“They’ll come out all guns blazing after their defeat last week to Notts County, but I think we’ve got to worry about ourselves.”

One point separates the two teams in the table after four matches, with both having a single victory to their names so far.

Feeney has a virtually fully fit squad to choose from but assistant manager Sean McCarthy serves a one-match touchline ban after he admitted using abusive and/or insulting words towards a match official.

McCarthy was charged in relation to an incident at the end of the game against Luton Town on August 16.

County were angry with the award of a stoppage-time penalty that gave the Hatters three points.

The standard penalty, which McCarthy has accepted, also included a £500 fine.