NEWPORT County AFC manager Warren Feeney has demanded an apology from referee Andy Davies, insisting his side were robbed of a point at Leyton Orient thanks to a controversial late penalty.

Davies pointed to the spot after an aerial challenge between County striker Deane Smalley and Orient forward Joni McAnuff in the 85th minute at Brisbane Road on Tuesday night.

Jay Simpson slammed home the penalty and the referee then ignored a possible foul on Smalley at the other end, further angering Feeney.

“That's possibly one of the worst decisions I've seen in the game,” said the Exiles boss.

"I think everyone in the ground could see, if that's a penalty in football, we should be playing touch rugby [rules].

“People say players have bad performances, but you've got to watch what you say about these people (referees).

“I wouldn't mind if he's consistent, but through the whole game, I thought he was poor from the start.

“I'm gutted for the players because I don't think they deserved that.

“I’ll be lodging a complaint myself,” he added. “They don’t talk to you; they don’t communicate with you.

“In the older days you had a bit of banter with the ref but now you can’t speak to these guys.

“They don’t want to know and that’s the frustrating point.

“It was an awful decision. I will be putting in a report and I said to the referee I’ll expect an apology.

“I expect him to pick up the phone and apologise when he looks at that because I just can’t believe he’s given it.”

On the penalty his side were denied in the closing minutes, Feeney said: “I don’t think it’s a penalty but if he’s given the first one he’s got to give that one.

“I don’t know whether the occasion got to him or the crowd but he’s got to be consistent.

“I don’t want to be speaking about the referee but I was disappointed for my players to be beaten by the decision he made.”

With another tough trip to Morecambe on Saturday, Feeney knows his players need to pick themselves up quickly.

“We’ll dust ourselves down and go again because we’ve got another big game on Saturday,” he said.

“I don’t like players who have their jaws on the floor. There’s disappointment, which I can understand, but I’ll get them back up for Saturday.

“I’m gutted for the players because they put in a fantastic performance and they worked their socks off.

“I don’t think they deserved to lose but to lose it like that is very disappointing but we’ve got to get on with it.

“We can’t dwell on anything – we’ve got to keep moving forward.

“It’s a kick in the teeth but we looked strong and if we put performances in like that we’ll certainly climb this league, I have no doubt about it.”