COUNTY V YORK (FA Trophy, Today, Wembley, KO 3pm)

NEWPORT County have finally accepted defeat in their legal battle for goalkeeper Karl Darlow to play at Wembley today.

The club had hoped to secure the backing of opponents York City in their case against the Football Association but with time running out they reluctantly gave up the fight yesterday.

Club solicitor John Allison said: “I’ve advised the club that it would be a waste of time and money to continue the fight.

“We were never going to be successful with an appeal because we would always lose it on a technicality.”

The FA have refused to budge from their stance – that Darlow’s loan move from Nottingham Forest did not receive international clearance until after the permitted deadline.

“We had the backing of FIFA and the FAW,” added Allison. “But we needed to get the FA and York City to support our application.

“I had an exchange of e-mails with the York chairman but unfortunately they took the view that they would neither oppose or support us. They didn’t want to be involved in the decision.

“I passed this on to Graham Noakes of the FA Trophy Committee and he came back to us saying that after their legal department had looked at it regretfully they wouldn’t change their position.”

As a result of the ruling Exiles boss Justin Edinburgh will put his faith in his second choice stopper Glyn Thompson with youngster Matthew Swan on the bench.

Thompson has made 28 appearances this season and played in both legs of the FA Trophy semi-final win over Wealdstone.