NEWPORT County AFC manager Warren Feeney is desperate for Saturday’s League Two clash with Carlisle United to go ahead but if it doesn’t he won’t be blaming the Rodney Parade ground staff.

The Cumbrians make the long journey south for a 1pm kick-off and Feeney is crossing his fingers after last week’s home game against Barnet was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

That was the third County game to be postponed since Christmas and former manager John Sheridan was critical of the (ultimately unsuccessful) efforts made to ensure that the FA Cup tie against Blackburn Rovers beat the weather on January 9.

But Feeney is sympathetic to the ground staff who have to cope with Newport RFC and Newport Gwent Dragons playing on the pitch as well as the poor weather.

“It was frustrating, we knew the weather was coming in but it has been terrible,” said the Exiles boss.

“From a football point of view we got a bit of momentum on the back of a win [at Morecambe on January 30] but also I thought the performances have been good.

“It’s unfortunate and it’s a hindrance that the game was called off.

“Barnet were probably delighted because I know they had a couple of injuries and suspensions.

“But it’s a hurdle we’ve got to get over. I don’t want to be playing catch-up but this is the situation we’re in and we’ve just got to get on with it.

“It is hard with three sides but I don’t think Shez was having a go at the groundsmen – it was the club as a whole,” he added.

“He said ‘we could have done more’ and that’s everyone on the staff, not just the groundsmen.

“But it is frustrating; we wanted it on and I know Blackburn wanted it on that day.

“At the end of the day it would be like the groundsmen telling me how to play football – they know what they’re doing and you’ve got to respect them and understand their decision and just get on with it.”

Despite the weather and the disruption, Feeney says allowing artificial pitches in the Football League is not the solution.

"I’m not a lover of 3G or 4G pitches," he said. "I wasn’t brought up with it and I’m very wary of putting players on it.

"When I managed Linfield last year there was two teams in the league who played on it and the way the ball bounces it’s just not football.

"There are players who can’t play on it for whatever reason and if it’s not at the highest level why would you want at this level.

"I know lesser teams might be in favour of it but I’m not a believer in it. Football is played on grass for me.

"If you train on grass you should play on grass.

"The teams in the Republic of Ireland who play on it [St Patrick’s Athletic and Dundalk] have won the league the last two years and in the [Northern] Irish leagues the last three years teams have won it with an artificial pitch [Cliftonville in 2013 and 2014 and Crusaders in 2015].

"It is a big positive for them but to go from grass to 3G would be very tough and I don’t think I’ll be the only one who’ll say that."