NEWPORT-born Dagenham striker Christian Doidge isn’t ruling out playing for his hometown club in the future, but has no regrets over his part in killing off their League Two promotion bid.

Doidge, 22, a former regular in the League of Wales with Carmarthen Town, bagged his second goal of the campaign on Saturday as the Daggers stuck the knife into the Exiles’ bid to return to the top seven.

County are now almost certain to miss out on a play-off berth with the irony not lost at the Newport end that Doidge could easily have been wearing amber on Saturday, having had a trial at Rodney Parade over the summer.

The target man was recommended to the Exiles by former Wales international and County player Mark Aizelwood, who played for County and managed Doidge at Carmarthen.

It led to an astonishing row with then Newport boss Justin Edinburgh, but Doidge insisted he had no mixed feelings on Saturday despite several County supporting family members being in attendance at Rodney Parade.

“I was happy, it’s nice to get on and score a goal, I was over the moon,” he said.

“It’s amazing to score against my hometown club; I had quite a few family members in the stand so it was nice to score in front of them.

“No mixed feelings for me, I am a Dagenham player and had to do my job.

“Would I join County in the future? Never say never. I’m happy at Dagenham, there were no hard feelings from me about the trial, it just wasn’t the right time for the club or myself.”

Doidge’s career has been a hot topic in the Argus for several months. Before the deal was concluded that took him to Dagenham, Aizlewood said: “If County allow Christian to go to Dagenham it will be the biggest mistake they’ve made since they failed to secure a sell-on fee when John Aldridge left."

Edinburgh quickly dismissed the claim. “I’ve been told by the Carmarthen manager in the paper that it would be the biggest mistake we’ve made since we didn’t have a sell-on for John Aldridge. I beg to differ.

“I don’t know his (Aizlewood’s) name and I don’t remember coming across him when I played in the Premiership or when I’ve managed.

“He’s talking about a top quality international like John Aldridge and I’m not bringing the boy into it, I’m talking about the manager’s comments.

“I don’t think he (Aizlewood) has played at the level I’ve played at. He certainly hasn’t managed at the same level so it’s probably best to keep those kind of comments to himself.”

Aizlewood, who did play in the top division for Luton Town and Charlton Athletic and won 39 caps for Wales, is adamant that Doidge can go far.

“I’ve played in the top division and international football but this lad is the best I’ve seen in the air at any level,” he told the Argus in August.

“We had him in the door and he had a good attitude and certain things about his game were good.

“He had things to learn but at the time I felt the players we had were better equipped and I stand by that.”

In response to Edinburgh, Aizlewood told BBC Radio Wales: "I suggest he gets his facts right. Remind him how many caps I won for Wales."