An angry Christian Fuchs claimed Newport County are not getting decisions from referees as he saw his struggling side beaten at promotion hopefuls Swindon.
Newport lost 2-0 at the County Ground as Ian Holloway’s side moved back into League Two’s automatic spots with a fourth win in a row.
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But Fuchs claimed Newport were denied a clear penalty when Tanatswa Nyakuhwa was bundled over in the box moments before Fletcher Holman’s 63rd minute opener – and that it is symptomatic of the Exiles’ fortunes in their bid to avoid relegation.
Newport are three points from safety following the defeat and Fuchs said: “I don’t see where the ref could see a coming together there when the player clearly takes Tan off his feet.
“I need to understand what the explanation is for coming together because obviously that was a penalty.
“How is it a coming together when his feet are in first? No chance. Tan is through, he can take a shot, why would he go down nine yards from goal.
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“But it happens to us all the time, every week right now. And we have to live with it and we have to probably work even harder to get those goals in our favour.”
Fuchs, whose side have now lost their last five away matches, said it was “no excuse” to have conceded so quickly, with an own goal from Joe Thomas three minutes later taking the match away from the visitors.
And he insisted Newport – who are averaging less than a goal a game – need to be more clinical if they are to stop bemoaning their luck.
“We cannot just assume that something will be called in our favour. We have to work double and triple as hard to then get back in and to defend,” the former Leicester City defender said.
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“I think that’s the difference probably between Swindon today and us at the moment, or other teams.
“We are looking to create momentum. We’re getting good positions, we don’t put the chances away.
“And a team like them, they have two chances, three chances, and they score two goals, and that’s just the difference at the moment.”
Newport continue their four-game run against teams in the top six at MK Dons on Saturday, with Fuchs adding that County must take their chances to perform and earn points if they are to stay in the league.
But asked if this latest defeat – and the manner of it – has impacted belief, he said: “Not at all. The players take care of that themselves. I had almost nothing to say in the dressing room because the boys, they saw it as well, they felt it as well who was the better team here and it’s just now about being more clinical in front of the goal.”