NEWPORT County AFC manager Graham Coughlan admitted promotion-chasing Stockport deserved their 1-0 win at Edgeley Park – but he was livid at how they won it at the death.
The Exiles looked set to leave with a point when it was goalless going into six minutes of added time but then Paddy Madden, who had earlier been superbly denied from the penalty spot by Nick Townsend, slammed in a 93rd minute winner.
Stockport’s spot-kick was contentious and so was referee Tom Reeves' awarding of the free-kick that allowed the Hatters to put the ball into the box for the winner.
READ MORE: Full report from Edgeley Park
Defeat leaves County one point shy of Coughlan’s first target of 50 points and they are now six points off the play-offs with 10 games to go.
“Our lads gave everything,” said Coughlan. “Yes, Stockport were the better team and they are up that end of the table for a reason.
“The pressure was relentless but our lads stood tall. We didn’t have a particularly good game with the ball but defensively we were organised and structured, while Nick Townsend was outstanding.
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“The good teams get decisions and breaks of the ball. On the whole Stockport deserved to win, let’s have that right, but I just thought we deserved our clean sheet given the defensive structure, organisation and commitment that the lads showed.
“It was a really hard one to take when for the same incident a free-kick was given against Aaron Wildig, and this one was given to Stockport and led to the goal.
“I can’t get away from the standard of officiating and it’s week in, week out. It’s absolute nonsense and hard to accept.”
County lost 1-0 to leaders Mansfield the previous weekend in which they failed to seriously test the goalkeeper and it was similar against the second-placed Hatters.
The Exiles registered just three shots on goal, two on target, and failed to seriously worry Ben Hinchliffe.
“It was a difficult afternoon,” admitted Coughlan. “We weren’t great with the ball and didn’t create an awful lot.
“We were looking for one or two moments but we weren’t decisive when we got on the back of them. We weren’t clinical.
“Stockport deserved to win because they were the better team and had more chances but when you are in a game like that you dig deep, bite down on your gumshield and try and get out of here with a clean sheet.
“They are a good enough team and club without getting assistance from the officials. Our players deserve better, because they are an honest bunch.”
County have a swift turnaround to Tuesday’s home fixture against Morecambe, who lost to Wrexham.
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