PENALTY SHOUT ANGERS FLYNN
MIKE Flynn slammed referee Thomas Bramall for failing to award Newport County a first-half penalty after the Exiles were beaten by League Two leaders Cambridge at Rodney Parade.
Cambridge defender Declan Drysdale scored the only goal of the game to consign County to defeat and leave them in seventh place. Flynn’s men have won just one of their last seven games.
But Flynn felt his team should have had a penalty for handball by Wes Hoolahan from Aaron Lewis’ cross. The incident took place right on the edge of the box, but Hoolahan’s hands were raised.
“It’s frustrating. We were the better team, but we made a bad mistake and there was a bad refereeing decision,” said Flynn. “With the one in the first half he may as well have put gloves on.
“It’s an awful decision. Not finishing the chances we create is the story of the second half of our season. We have good attacking players, but decision-making costs us.
“We are just coming up short at the moment.”
County were without key man Matty Dolan after he failed to recover from the head injury he suffered in the draw with Carlisle.
Flynn switched to a back four as a result and made three changes, with Ryan Haynes returning from injury and Padraig Amond and Kevin Ellison coming into the starting line-up.
Liam Shephard, normally a fullback or wing-back, was at centrehalf, with Scot Bennett in front of the back four and man-marking the dangerous Hoolahan.
Both goalkeepers were quickly called into action. Newport’s Nick Townsend denied Joe Ironside from close range. At the other end, Wales midfielder Josh Sheehan had a shot saved.
Like Sheehan, Lewis then had another outrageous shot from distance. Callum Burton didn’t look the most convincing in the Cambridge goal.
Newport were dominating possession against one of the best sides in League Two, but they didn’t have a cutting edge in attack with Amond and Ryan Taylor unthreatening.
Bennett did fire just over the bar and Sheehan had an effort easily saved by Burton.
Ellison worked Burton with a header from Haynes’ cross at the start of the second period. Cambridge’s Luke Hannant also had a 25-yard effort deflected just over the bar after it came off Mickey Demetriou.
Flynn responded by withdrawing Ellison and Taylor in favour of Lewis Collins and Nicky Maynard.
Cambridge had their best chance just after the hour mark. Jack Iredale whipped in a superb cross with his left foot. Ironside beat Townsend at the far post, but his effort came back off the post.
Sheehan and Burton continued their running battle as the Wales international midfielder curled a free-kick on target.
Sheehan then appealed for a penalty for handball as his powerful effort hit Drysdale in the face. It proved to be a key moment as Drysdale headed in soon after at the back post.
The crucial goal came after Shephard gave away a soft free-kick near the corner flag and Cambridge’s delivery found centre-half Drysdale.
Joss Labadie had a shot blocked, but Newport couldn’t respond.