Warren Feeney: 'Touch rugby' penalty angers Newport boss
Last updated on .From the section Football
Newport County boss Warren Feeney has blamed a refereeing decision for their 1-0 loss at Leyton Orient on Tuesday.
A contentious 85th-minute Jay Simpson penalty saw Orient beat the Exiles, after debutant Darren Jones had brought down Jobi McAnuff in the penalty area.
Feeney felt that referee Andy Davies was wrong to award the spot kick.
"I think everyone in the ground could see, if that's a penalty in football, we should be playing touch rugby [rules]," Feeney told BBC Wales Sport.
"That's possibly one of the worst decisions I've seen in the game.
"I'll be lodging a complaint myself, regards it.
"I'm just gutted for the players to be beating by one of the worst decisions in football. I don't think we deserved to lose."
Feeney also bemoaned a lack of opportunities to discuss decisions with referees.
"They don't talk to you. They don't communicate with you," Feeney added.
"In the older days, you had a bit of banter with the referees and you respected it, but now you can't speak to these guys, they don't want to know, and that's the frustrating thing."
The defeat left Newport 20th in League Two, four points above the relegation zone.
