³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

Tuesday's League Two game between leaders Newport County and Exeter City has been called off due to a waterlogged pitch at Rodney Parade.

Referee John Busby deemed the pitch unplayable after an afternoon inspection following heavy rain.

Newport said a new date for the game would be announced "in due course".

"It was a very sensible decision from the referee," Newport manager Michael Flynn told ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio Wales Sport.

"They get some stick but I can't speak highly enough of John Busby who made the decision on the safety and wellbeing of the players.

"It's been really bad and that downpour today for two hours was a lot more than they expected in terms of millimetres of rain. That was the final nail in the coffin.

"It wouldn't have been a good spectacle. It was absolutely saturated and there was still water in places which would have cut up straight away."

County are due to host Southend in League Two on 2 January before entertaining Premier League Brighton in the FA Cup third round eight days later.

"As long as the rain holds off, the pitch should recover," Flynn added.

"It's not going to be great until the end of the season, which is not ideal to the way we've been playing.

"We've just got to get on with it - we can't be making excuses. I've got a bunch of players who know what the pitch can be like.

"We've made sure we're ready for both outcomes and whether it's a nice pitch or a damaged pitch."

The Exiles share Rodney Parade with Pro14 side Dragons, who hosted Cardiff Blues on Boxing Day and are at home to Ospreys on 9 January.

Blues have used Rodney Parade as a temporary home during recent months as their Arms Park base was used to support the National Health Service during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic.

But Blues will play two Pro14 Welsh derbies at Cardiff City Stadium in January.