EXILES BOSS ANGRY OVER PENALTY CALL
NEWPORT County manager James Rowberry couldn’t hide his anger as his side were denied the chance to claim a vital victory from the penalty spot at Bradford City.
Rowberry was convinced that defender Cameron Norman was fouled in the box by Alex Gilliead in the second half at Valley Parade, but referee Marc Edwards was unmoved.
The Exiles had to settle for a point against Mark Hughes’ men, missing the chance to climb to fourth in the race for promotion from League Two.
“It’s a penalty and when you watch it back, I don’t understand why it was not given,” said Rowberry.
“I am going to be careful what I say but when Cameron takes contact in the box it’s a foul.
“Why would he go down in that situation? I don’t understand why it’s not been given.
“I felt it was a penalty, so do my staff, so do my players and it’s on camera.
“I don’t understand it.” County were made to dig deep as the hosts piled on the pressure after the break, but Rowberry felt his side deserved more than a point, with captain Mickey Demetriou going closest late on as he flashed a shot across goal.
“We were terrific and did enough to win,” he said. “Some of the passages of play, especially in the first half, were excellent.
“Naturally you are going to come under a bit of pressure when you come to Bradford with how they tried to play against us. They were another team that matched our shape in midfield.
“It’s a credit to the lads and the work that they have done.
“A hard-earned point? Maybe, but I thought that we did more than enough to win.
“We had some good chances with two balls that went across the face of goal and a penalty turned down.”
County are fifth in the table, three points behind third-placed Northampton Town – but only two above Sutton United in 10th – ahead of the visit of second-placed Exeter City to Rodney Parade this Saturday.
“It’s going to be tight and will go down to Rochdale in the last game of the season,” added Rowberry.
“We just have to focus on Exeter and a positive performance, we just have to keep doing what we are doing.”
It was a first home point for former Wales manager Hughes in his fifth game in charge at Bradford.
“I thought we played really well against a good Newport side who’ve got ambitions of their own,” said the Bantams boss.