NEWPORT County AFC manager Graham Westley says the Rodney Parade pitch means scoring goals is a problem after his side recorded a second 0-0 home draw in five days.

County followed up Friday’s point against League Two leaders Doncaster Rovers with another stalemate against mid-table Grimsby Town on Tuesday night.

And Westley said the poor playing surface was to blame for the lack of goals.

“It’s obvious that it’s difficult to construct goals on the surface,” said the Exiles boss. “Defences are coming out on top.

“But there was a time not so long ago when our defence wasn’t coming out on top and we were losing games because our defence wasn’t coming out on top.

“We’re much more organised, we’re much more resilient.

“Chances are few and far between and perhaps you could argue we’re not doing enough at the top end of the pitch.

“But it’s difficult. We saw the league leaders here on Friday night try to break us down and us try to break them down and neither side could come through.

“And we’ve seen another game tonight where they were always going to come here and react to [losing 5-0].

“I watched the game and they weren’t that bad at all – they just had a mad half an hour at the beginning of the game, things went wrong and they lost it.

“They’re a decent side, they’ve won a promotion and they’ve come up and they’ve done OK.

“They’re in a solid mid-table position and they’re a tough nut to crack.

“They’ve got some good experienced boys at the back and it was very much a game of two defences coming out on top.”

Maxime Blanchard was replaced in the starting XI by player-coach Michael Flynn and Westley revealed afterwards that the Frenchman had left the club after just one appearance.