Westley rules out appealing Rigg red

NEWPORT County boss Graham Westley says the club will not appeal against the red card shown to Sean Rigg during Saturday’s FA Cup tie at Plymouth Argyle.

Rigg was dismissed after just 23 minutes for a dangerous tackle on Argyle’s Jake Jervis but the Exiles earned a replay after the match ended 0-0.

The midfielder will now be the subject of a three-match ban – the League Two matches at home to Stevenage tomorrow and Morecambe on Saturday and next Tuesday’s cup replay against Plymouth.

Westley feels the sending off was harsh but believes an appeal would be futile.

“We’ve looked at it and we won’t appeal it,” said the Exiles boss.

“I think it was harsh and when you watch incidents like (Manchester United defender Marcos] Rojo on Everton’s on Idrissa Gueye) yesterday that was a red but the referee sees it as he sees it.

“Riggy, I’m sure, will feel really aggrieved that he’s sitting out for three games while tackles like that are getting away [without a red card].

“It’s the consistency thing but nowadays if you go off your feet in any way it can be argued that there’s danger in it.

“I feel for him because he clearly played the ball and he didn’t make contact with the player.

“He did lunge for the ball but he didn’t lunge in a way that was going to endanger the player in my opinion.

“But the chances of success in an appeal are probably limited because to the letter [of the law] it was probably dangerous.

“Everyone sees things differently and the referee from the angle he was at in the moment saw it as dangerous.

“The footage is at completely the wrong angle from Riggy’s point of view. It doesn’t show it clearly enough and it’s just at the wrong angle to show the truth.

“So it’s a harsh one but we park it and move on.”

Westley says the three-match rest will benefit the player.

“Riggy, if I’m honest, probably could do with a breather,” he added.

“He’s been playing a lot of football and he’s been brilliant for me since I’ve been here.

“He’s played virtually every minute other than the Wimbledon game when I left him out for a rest and he’s been brilliant.

“But fatigue can set in physically and mentally.”