NEWPORT County AFC striker Aaron O’Connor will serve a three-match ban after an FA disciplinary panel threw out the club’s appeal against his red card on Saturday.

O’Connor will miss the clash at his former club Luton Town this Saturday and games against Plymouth Argyle on Boxing Day and Cheltenham Town on December 28.

He was dismissed in injury time for a late challenge on Stevenage's Dean Wells after scoring his side’s opening goal in a 2-0 victory at Rodney Parade.

Exiles boss Justin Edinburgh was adamant that referee Brendan Malone made a mistake and was confident that the red card would be rescinded but Stevenage manager Graham Westley is not surprised to see it stand.

Westley said: “It wouldn’t have surprised me to see it given as a yellow, but the boy booted Wellsy after the ball had gone.

“It might not have been the most dangerous thing in the world, but you can’t boot someone’s ankles.

“If I had done it I might feel a bit daft for doing it, but I probably wouldn’t feel I had much of an argument.”

Meanwhile Wells has accused County midfielder Lee Minshull of making a ‘rugby tackle’ on Chris Beardsley which led to the second crucial goal for Edinburgh’s side.

Rodney Parade might be the home of Newport Gwent Dragons and Newport RFC as well as the Exiles but Wells was surprised that the goal stood.

Darren Jones was played onside by the grounded Beardsley, left floored by Minshull, and was able to fire in on the stroke of half-time as the referee and his assistant had not spotted any infringement.

Wells fumed: “The second goal, well Beardo is on the floor. There’s a rugby tackle. But, no excuses, we conceded again from a set-piece.”

Boss Westley said his players appealed against the decision to allow it to stand because striker Beardsley had been ‘wrestled to the ground’ and therefore played Jones onside.

“I think the appeal was more for the foul on Beardsley which took him to the ground,” Westley said.

“Beardo said he played Jones on, but the appeal was for the foul.

“The referee had talked to them. He had a conversation with them, and then Beardo was wrestled to the ground and lying on the ground plays him onside.”