NEWTOWN face a testing start to their festive programme this week as the Robins bid to climb away from the relegation zone.

Title chasing Cardiff Metropolitan arrive on Saturday (2pm) before Llandudno make the trip on Thursday evening with manager Chris Hughes backing his side to hold their own.

The Robins picked themselves up from the previous week’s derby debacle at Aberystwyth Town to book their place in the fourth round of the JD Welsh Cup last weekend after seeing off Guilsfield.

Hughes hoped the performance and result went some way to atoning for the 3-0 defeat at Aberystwyth Town which had seen him apologise to supporters.

Hughes said: “It is job done, that was the aim to get through. hey’re going well in the Alliance and people would have looked at this and seen a banana skin.

“We applied ourselves well, sometimes we were wasteful but we took the two chances well, and the second goal was a great team goal.”

However Hughes insisted his side would have to improve to pick up any points in a testing week.

“We had lots of possession and Guilsfield pressed so it allowed us to get spaces in behind,” said Hughes. “However I was disappointed with some of our decisions.

“But it was a lower league side and we are in the hat, people would have seen a potential shock but we dealt with it well.”

Hughes dedicated the result to the supporters and acknowledged the importance of the cup for the Robins.

“It was a disciplined and professional performance, we got a clean sheet and we showed how important the first goal is,” said Hughes.

“We said last week we felt we let the club down so this performance and result was for this club’s great supporters.”