County to appeal Rose red card
LEAGUE Two’s bottom club Newport are appealing Mitch Rose’s red card from their demoralising late 3-2 defeat at Cambridge on Saturday.
County face mid-table Morecambe at Rodney Parade this evening (7.45pm) in a re-arranged game and anything less than a win will see their Football League hopes hanging by a thread.
The Exiles are seven points from safety and unless this game in hand reduces that deficit to four things are looking pretty grim for Graham Westley’s side.
Midfielder Rose could face an extended ban after knocking the red card out of the referee’s hand following the controversial 90th minute decision.
County led 2-0 at the Cambs Glass Stadium thanks to two well taken goals from Ryan Bird but the hosts fought back to level and they claimed all three points in stoppage time.
Referee Trevor Kettle pointed to the spot after he deemed Rose guilty of a foul on Luke Berry in the box.
Clearly unhappy at what looked an extremely harsh decision, Rose remonstrated with the official before knocking the card from his hand.
Westley has no fresh injury concerns ahead of tonight while Morecambe, in 15th place in the table, are likelsy to keep faith with the side that beat Crawley Town on the weekend.
MERTHYR Town, who suffered a narrow 1-0 loss at Slough on Saturday, look to get their Southern League Premier Division promotion campaign back on track tonight when they face fellow playoff contenders Hitchin at Penydarren Park.
Despite Saturday’s defeat the Martyrs stay in second place in the table but are now eight points adrift of leaders Chippenham, who look odds on to claim the one automatic spot in National League South next term.
Merthyr, Leamington and tonight’s opponents Hitchin are all locked on 68 points with Slough on 67.
With a nine point gap to sixth placed Banbury, the play-offs look like being contested between those four barring a dramatic change in fortunes between now and the end of the season.