CAPTAIN Mark Byrne believes Newport County AFC should be challenging for a play-off place in League Two rather than battling to avoid the drop.

County are just four points above the relegation zone before taking on mid-table Morecambe at the Globe Arena tomorrow.

But the skipper is convinced that the Exiles could have had an outside shot at a top-seven finish if it weren’t for injuries, inexperience, off-field disruptions and bad refereeing this season.

“We’re playing well and I said to the lads the other day that from the start of the season we should be 11 or 12 points better off than we are,” said Byrne.

“That’s very frustrating because we wouldn’t be near the bottom – we’d be around the play-offs.

“We’re in a false position. At the start of the season we had a lot of injuries and a lot of youngsters in the side. And [after Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat at Leyton Orient] we’re definitely due some decisions from the refs.

“It was a bad, bad decision for the penalty,” he added. “It’s happening most weeks now – the standard of refereeing is not really up to scratch.

“But we’ve got to dust ourselves down and try to get the win.

“We’re playing good football but we’ve got to get those wins, and turn losses into draws.”

Byrne has played under five managers in the past year and hopes new boss Warren Feeney, who was previously John Sheridan’s assistant, can provide some stability.

“Not much has changed,” said the 27-year-old midfielder. “The lads are happy he’s taken over because we’ve had a lot of chopping and changing.

“It’s good to have that stability until the end of the season.

“There were a lot of people out of contract and a lot of chopping and changing last summer, which you don’t really want,” he added.

“But I think the gaffer, if he’s here, will want to keep the majority of the squad.

“We had a very good squad last season and all we needed was one or two more but then most of the players left and it’s quite hard when you bring a lot of new bodies in.”

Byrne was pleased to see one familiar face return last week but he won’t give up the captaincy to Darren Jones.

“I think he can be a massive player for us coming back in,” he said. “He’s a leader and I think we’ve lacked a bit of that with a lot of young lads. But I’m keeping the armband!

“He’s had a bad time at Forest Green and he wants to play games and earn himself a new contract for next season.

“Everyone has got to be putting in performances because we know how tough it is with lots of good players out of contract.

“But if we put the performances in for ourselves and the team the rest will take care of itself.”