Newport County manager Hayden Mullins has criticised the length of Shaquille Gwengwe's suspension, calling a three-match ban for violent conduct "really harsh" after the striker was ruled out of the club's fixture against Rotherham United. According to BBC Sport, Mullins learned of the disciplinary decision while the team was travelling to South Yorkshire, forcing a late change to his plans for the match.
The 25-year-old made the journey but sat out the 2-2 draw after the club accepted the charge stemming from an incident during Newport's 1-1 draw with York City on Saturday. The FA reviewed video footage and concluded the incident was violent conduct after officials initially missed it, with the suspension taking effect immediately.
Mullins had expected Gwengwe to feature against Rotherham and expressed frustration at the timing and severity of the decision.
"It came out of the blue this morning, which was bad timing, on the day of the game,"he told BBC Radio Wales.
"We'd been notified that Shaq has been given a three-match suspension for something that happened on the weekend."
The manager acknowledged the club faced a difficult choice regarding whether to appeal the ban.
"If we appealed, then obviously I think there's further ramifications if we lose it. We had to make a decision this afternoon. We planned for Shaq to be involved tonight, and he was with us."
How long will Gwengwe be sidelined?
The suspension rules out the striker for three consecutive league matches. The incident occurred in the 66th minute of Newport's 1-1 draw with York City on 17 October, and the ban covers upcoming fixtures at Cheltenham Town on Saturday at 12:30 BST and at home to Chesterfield on Friday, 30 October at 19:45 BST, along with one additional match.
Mullins reiterated his view on the punishment's proportionality.
"I think it's really harsh for a three-match ban. Honestly, I really do. It's bad luck really because Shaq's an important player for us."
What has Gwengwe contributed this season?
The striker, who arrived from Poole Town during the summer transfer window, has established himself as a key attacking threat for Newport. He has scored five goals in ten league appearances so far this campaign, a tally that significantly outperforms his expected goals (XG) figure of 2.16, meaning he has overperformed by 2.84 goals.
This efficiency places him among the most clinical finishers in League Two. Prior to the York City match, Newport had recorded a 1-0 win over Colchester on 10 October and a 2-2 draw with Plymouth Argyle on 6 October, with Gwengwe contributing to the team's attacking output during this period. Only Cheltenham Town's Charlie McCann, with an overperformance of 3.62, had bettered Gwengwe's efficiency in the fourth tier before game week 12.
How did Newport perform without Gwengwe?
Despite the absence of their leading scorer, Newport demonstrated resilience and character to claim a point at AESSEAL New York Stadium. Rotherham took control early through goals from Paul Mullin and Aaron Nemane, but the visitors mounted a second-half comeback.
Harrison Biggins converted a penalty and Ged Garner scored his first league goal of the season to secure a 2-2 draw, extending Newport's unbeaten league run to seven matches. Mullins praised his team's response after a disappointing opening period.
"We're happy with the point. It keeps our belief going and our unbeaten run going,"he said.
"We're really disappointed with the first half, that start is out of character for us and we addressed it at half time."
The manager highlighted the team's determination and fighting spirit as the match progressed.
"One thing I spoke about at the end of the game was our character, our togetherness and how we keep fighting. At the end we were getting stronger. It looked like we had a bit more energy towards the end and we were almost pushing to get the winner which was good. It's pleasing to see."
What comes next for Newport?
Newport will attempt to maintain their unbeaten run without Gwengwe as they travel to face Cheltenham Town on 24 October at 12:30 BST, followed by a home fixture against Chesterfield on 30 October at 19:45 BST. The striker will be eligible to return after the completion of his three-match suspension, though the exact timing of his availability will depend on the fixture schedule.
