Newport County Manager John Sheridan blasted the club’s ground staff following the late postponement of yesterday’s FA Cup tie against Blackburn Rovers at Rodney Parade, according to Wales Online.
The Rodney Parade clash was set to be a sell out with the match being dubbed as County’s “biggest match in 30 years”.
After a period of heavy rain in South Wales the pitch became waterlogged and the match was postponed at 2pm after an inspection by match referee Charles Breakspear with some supporters already in the ground.
Yesterday’s postponement was County’s second wash out in 8 days after last week’s crucial relegation clash with Hartlepool United in South Wales was also postponed.
County Manager John Sheridan let his frustration get the better of him after yesterday’s postponement stating that the County ground staff could have done more to avoid the postponement.
Sheridan believes that the club should have covered one end of the pitch in particular where the pitch often becomes waterlogged. County ground staff responded to Sheridan’s comments to state that the covers would not have helped the situation.
The Exiles share the council owned Rodney Parade ground with Newport RFC and the Newport-Gwent Dragons RUFC and with rugby matches set to be staged at the stadium within the next 10 days there is little time for the pitch to recover before the rescheduled FA Cup Third Round encounter takes place.
County were previously approached by the FA in 2014 about the state of the playing surface at Rodney Parade after a number of postponements.
