NEWPORT County AFC manager Michael Flynn had no issue with referee Nicholas Kinseley’s decision to postpone this afternoon’s home clash with League Two leaders MK Dons due to a waterlogged pitch at Rodney Parade.

Persistent rain stopped briefly for the referee to give the match the go-ahead after a 1.20pm pitch inspection.

But more heavy showers in the following 80 minutes led to standing water on the surface and the match was officially postponed at 2.40pm.

“We wanted the game to go ahead, of course, but I thought the referee handled it superbly,” said Flynn.

“He was very professional and gave it every chance, but with the rainfall we had, and which is going to stay, there were puddles on the pitch.

“From a players’ safety point of view I think it is the right decision.

“There was a big downpour at around 2.30pm and it wasn’t going to stop for a few hours.

“The last thing we wanted was to start the game and then get it called off halfway through. I don’t think it does anyone any favours, especially the supporters who have long journeys home.

“I fancied us today, just as MK Dons would have done, and I am disappointed but it is the sensible decision for the right reasons.

“You can’t blame anyone, or the pitch. The pitch looked fantastic, but there were just areas where there was standing water.

“I am going to try to take some positives out of today,” added the Exiles boss.

“It gives a few players some more time to recover from injuries and enables us to get some rehab done on the ones we need for next weekend.

“This gives us the chance to have a behind closed doors game on Tuesday, or something like that.

“We might just have to go through a few things before we play Lincoln next weekend.

“We have got a few players who shouldn’t really have started today, but had to, and there were a few missing out as well. It gives us a chance to readdress things.”

South Wales Argus:

Visiting manager Paul Tisdale also understood the referee's decision.

"We knew that if there was a heavy downpour the game would be in serious doubt and then at 2.40pm the heavens opened," he said.

"It quickly became saturated and the referee made what is probably a very sensible decision.

"We had gone through all the preparation and we were ready to go, but that’s our job.

"It is frustrating when you have just warmed up and you are bursting to go.

"As much as you feel for the players, I’ve got much more sympathy for the supporters that have come out today, especially those from Milton Keynes who had come all this way in the cold and wet.

"It is a hell of a long way to go to have a game called off 20 minutes before kick-off. They must have suspected it.

"I am philosophical about it. My job is to spin the positives most of the time. When we come back here we will have players back from injury, but I am not that clever to know what is going to happen in seven weeks time.

"The pitch was playable at 1.30pm and we were here and ready to go," he added.

"We had in the back of our mind that there might be a late call on this, but you have to put that to the back of your mind and crack on.

"The pitch looked marvellous and the transformation from four or five years ago is incredible. Even with a wonderful pitch it just couldn’t cope with the accumulation of rain."