By Gareth James
Newport County manager Michael Flynn has admitted the club are up against it in their task to win automatic promotion from League Two.
A hard-earned but inadequate goalless draw at home to Carlise on Tuesday leaves County in sixth place in the table – eight points off the top three, but still with one game in hand.
Defender Matty Dolan will have to be assessed ahead of the game against second-place Cambridge United on Saturday after he was forced off against Carlisle with a head injury.
Flynn said: ““It was a solid point gained, we can still finish on 80 points, and we will try to get there. It’s going to be a tall order to get automatic promotion, but hopefully we will finish as high as we can.
“Carlisle are a good team and I’ve no problem giving the opposition credit.
“They have pace going forward and look to hit you on the counterattack. They are strong and have a midfield three who run all day.
⬆️The Exiles move up to 6th in the @SkyBetLeagueTwo table.#OneClubOneCounty pic.twitter.com/Lh2xHmowIZ
— Newport County AFC (@NewportCounty) April 13, 2021
“I thought it was a fair result. I think they edged the first half with their chances, but we were the better team in the second half and we tried to win the game at the end.
“In the second half we swung the momentum back and it was a hard-fought point.
“We have got another huge game on Saturday now and the confidence going into that will be high because we finished on a high.
Carlisle head coach Chris Beech accused Newport’s players, and in particular captain Joss Labadie, of attempting to buy free-kicks and conning the referee.
“Newport have got some players who have been around the game and they know how to work the referee. There was constant screaming on the floor and it’s not nice,” Beech said.
“Their skipper has gone rolling around on the floor and he’s a good player. It’s almost like they have no reason to stop doing it unless they get booked.
“Hopefully they clamp down on it because I think the referees are aware of it. They test the referee with their constant screaming, but I thought he did okay.”
