NEWPORT County AFC suffered extra time anguish against Morecambe in last season's League Two play-off final but will welcome the Shrimps to Rodney Parade if the teams can't be separated on Saturday.

The Exiles head to the Mazuma Stadium in the first round of the FA Cup and replays are back in this season's competition up to and including the fourth round.

The coronavirus pandemic led to a change in the condensed 2020/21 campaign with ties settled on the day.

That led to County, who beat League Two rivals Leyton Orient and Salford City over 90 minutes, taking Brighton to extra time and penalties at Rodney Parade in January when they suffered a shootout defeat.

New manager James Rowberry has pledged to keep changes to a minimum for the trip to Morecambe after starting his reign with wins against Bristol Rovers and Stevenage.

If it is a draw this weekend then a Rodney Parade fixture clash means it is likely that a replay would be on Wednesday, November 17.

County normally play midweek games on Tuesdays but the ground is already booked up with Wales Under-21s hosting Switzerland on November 16.

The Exiles head to Swindon in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday, travel to Hartlepool in League Two and host Swindon on Saturday, November 20.

South Wales Argus: RETURN? Matty Dolan, pictured before scoring a penaty at Morecambe last season, could feature this weekendRETURN? Matty Dolan, pictured before scoring a penaty at Morecambe last season, could feature this weekend

Meanwhile, manager Rowberry will be able to involve more of his squad in Lancashire, with captain Matty Dolan likely to return in some form after missing out last weekend with a thigh injury.

Teams are allowed to name seven substitutes for fixtures in the Football League but the FA Cup they can name nine.

Rowberry would also be able to bring five players off the bench with three opportunities to stop the game to make a change (half-time is excluded).

The Football League allowed five subs last season because of the pandemic but has reverted to three in 2021/22.

County beat Morecambe twice in the league last season, winning 2-1 at Rodney Parade thanks to a late penalty from Matty Dolan and then enjoying a 3-1 success in Lancashire with Shrimps legend Kevin Ellison wildly celebrating his clincher.

However, Derek Adams and his side had the last laugh when controversially taking the spoils at Wembley.

The Scottish manager then left Morecambe to stay in League Two with Bradford City, Stephen Robinson taking over in the hotseat.

They lost 2-0 to Cambridge on Tuesday and received a rocked from the boss.

Robinson said: "It was an embarrassing display, our worst performance of the season. We deserved nothing and that is what we got.

"It was men against boys and after they took the lead we looked like we were beaten already and looked like a team very short of confidence.

"They were men and we were boys and we didn't lay a glove on them."