NEWPORT County AFC have decided not to appeal the red card shown to Andrew Hughes at Shrewsbury, meaning 16-year-old Regan Poole could start again tonight.

Hughes is suspended for tonight’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy clash with Swindon Town at Rodney Parade and County have delayed Poole’s trial at Fulham so he is available to make his home debut.

With Hughes banned, Kevin Feely and Byron Anthony injured and Ismail Yakubu unlikely to be risked ahead of Saturday’s league clash with AFC Wimbledon, manager Justin Edinburgh does not have many options in defence.

Competition rules limit the number of changes each side can make but the Exiles boss says he will rest several players.

“There will be changes,” said Edinburgh. “People have been patient and certainly with the effort we’ve put in to those two away games one or two are going to need a rest.”

But Edinburgh is not taking the competition lightly and he is keen to keep the six-game unbeaten run going.

“It is a realistic chance for us to progress in the tournament and Wembley is at the end of it so it’s as high up there as any other competition in our list of priorities,” he said.

“We’re on a real good run and we want to continue that.

“Credit to the players, they continue to progress as a group and they feel and I feel that there is still more to come.”

Joe Parker, Shaun Jeffers, Jamie Stephens and Kyle Patten will not be involved as they have moved out on loan but the need for international clearance for players moving from Wales to England has left three of them with frustrating waits.

Parker completed his move back to Gloucester City in time to play for the Tigers on Saturday but Patten’s move to Bath City only went through yesterday after a ten-day delay.

And Jeffers and Stephens are still waiting to complete their moves to Brackley Town.

“It’s very frustrating because a lot of people worked very hard to get the deals done and it’s another example of us being punished for being Welsh,” said Edinburgh.

“They all need games. Jamie is coming back from injury and it’s a learning process for Joe and Shaun.

“Also we don’t want people losing their fitness and we want to make sure everyone is ready when they are called upon.”

Goalkeeper Joe Day is close to extending his emergency loan from Peterborough United to the maximum 93 days but Edinburgh does not expect anyone else to be heading to Rodney Parade.

“I wouldn’t have thought anyone else will come in,” he said. “We’ll have to assess the Andrew Hughes situation because that might leave us light in defence but Ismail Yakubu should be fit for Saturday.”