Cambridge United 3, Newport County 2
Mitch Rose, Newport County’s influential midfield player, showed his displeasure immediately and knocked the red card out of Mark Heywood’s hand.
Rose walked off in injury time, having conceded the penalty which gave Cambridge their chance to complete a three-goal comeback , but there was plenty more anger to come.
Manager Graham Westley was furious with referee Trevor Kettles and the other match officials, saying: “There’s an enormous amount of anger. We’ve put in a lot of hard work and it feels as if it’s been robbed away from you.
“It’s difficult for us to accept a big foul leading to the equalising goal but that’s nothing like the desolation we feel over the penalty that was awarded.
“Their dugout even said the decision was bad,” he added. “They were as bemused by the decisions as we were.
“But when (people in) the opposition dugout is saying to you these decisions are bizarre you have to question whether these decisions are bizarre.
“I thought double jeopardy had gone out of the window – if it’s a penalty you don’t get a straight red card – so even the implementation of the rules was wrong in my view.
“My player says he hooked the ball over the bar and their player said he was hoping for the corner.
“It was a bizarre moment – nobody in their side was appealing and then suddenly a penalty was awarded.”
County were in course for a first away win since November as former Cambridge player Ryan Bird netted twice, one either side of half-time.
But United pulled one back through substitute Barry Corr just after the hour and defender Leon Legge headed the equaliser eight minutes later.
Then came that injury time drama. Rose was penalised for a foul on Luke Berry and, while goalkeeper Joe Day saved George Maris’ penalty it didn’t save County. Defender Mark Roberts smashed in the rebound to send the visitors crashing.
Newport’s six-match unbeaten run came to an end and they are seven points from safety with a game in hand.
The tragedy is that when they led 2-0 the live League Two table showed them tucked in close behind Notts County and Cheltenham just above them.
But all that changed quickly and County are back in dire danger.
Cambridge United: Norris, Davies, Legge, Roberts, Carroll (Maris 82), O’Neil, Lewis (Corr 45), Mingoia, Berry, Dunk, Williamson (McDonagh 63). Subs not used: Dunne, Wharton, Gregory.
Newport County: Day, Pipe, Flynn, O’Brien, Demetriou, Butler, Rose, Samuel (Owen-Evans 45), Sheehan (Barnum-Bobb 45), Bird, Reid (Gordon 80). Subs not used: Parselle, Bojaj, Bittner, Williams.
Referee: Mark Heywood
Attendance: 4,175
Remaining Newport County fixtures in League Two
February
Tuesday 21 Morecambe (home)
Saturday 25 v Mansfield Town (away)
March
Saturday 4 v Leyton Orient (home)
Saturday 11 v Crewe Alex (away)
Tuesday 14 v Morecambe (away)
Saturday 18 v Blackpool (home)
Tuesday 21 v Luton Town (home)
Saturday 25 v Portsmouth (away)
April
Saturday 1 v Crawley Town (home)
Saturday 8 v Exeter City (away)
Friday 14 v Yeovil Town (home)
Monday 17 v Plymouth Argyle (away)
Saturday 22 v Accrington Stanley (home)
Saturday 29 v Carlisle United (away)
May
Saturday 6 v Notts County (home)