Morecambe boss Bentley has no complaints after Newport clash is abandoned

Jim Bentley said he was in full agreement with referee Brendan Malone after he called off Morecambe's clash with Newport at half-time due to a waterlogged pitch.

After an afternoon of incessant rain at Rodney Parade on a pitch famous for holding water, the surface became increasingly dangerous and the game was abandoned with League Two’s bottom side leading 1-0 thanks to a fine Tom Owen-Evans strike.

Bentley said: “The referee had no option really and he could have called it off earlier than he did to be honest.

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“He gave it a go and as a game it was quite interesting because it was an all out battle with some really tasty tackles and both sides really going for it.

"There was some good football played as well and their goal was a cracker from the young lad but you could see towards the end of the first half that it was getting worse with standing water all over the pitch and it was probably getting a bit dangerous.

“It was the right decision, not something either side wanted I think, but we have no complaints about the decision.’’

Opposing boss Graham Westley was in agreement despite his side enjoying the better of things while the game lasted.

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He said: “Premier League managers moan at having to play 38 games a season, when you are Newport manager you have to play 138 games because a lot get cancelled at half-time.

"It is what it is. It was probably the right decision to call it off.

“I thought in the first-half we were as good as we've been in a while."