Forward goes from being on fringes with County to a promotion push with Merthyr

NEWPORT County AFC forward Kiban Rai will spend the second half of the season chasing Southern League Premier South promotion with Merthyr. The 19-year-old from Brecon has moved to the Martyrs on loan after being on the fringes with the Exiles. Rai has made just six County appearances this season, four of them in League Two plus outings in the Carabao Cup and EFL Trophy, and hasn't featured in a matchday squad since the defeat to Barrow on September 21.

The rapid teenager broke through at the end of the 2022/23 campaign and then signed his first professional contract. Rai memorably scored his first goal the following August when heading in at the death at Rodney Parade to take Premier League Brentford to penalties in the Carabao Cup but the majority of his 20 appearances last season were as a substitute. With County having Bobby Kamwa, David Ajiboye, Josh Martin, Michael Spellman and Oliver Greaves as options out wide, Rai has gone out for game time.



He will now attempt to kickstart his career when providing Merthyr with another attacking option after former County prospect Lewys Twamley’s exploits earned a chance with Yeovil in the National League. Rai could make his debut in Saturday's trip to bottom of the table Marlow. The Martyrs are in a promotion scrap with AFC Totton, who are eight points back with a pair of games in hand.

Merthyr have 15 games left this season with the prize of moving up to the National League South, the sixth tier of the English pyramid. County have already sent teenagers Nelson Sanca and Jac Norris out for senior experience with Briton Ferry Llansawel in Cymru Premier. Frozen-out defender Josh Seberry also left on loan at the start of the month for Weston-super-Mare in the National League South while striker Hamzad Kargbo has gone out to that division with Chippenham.

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