NEWPORT County AFC are sweating on the fitness of top scorer Will Evans before tomorrow's home clash with Grimsby Town, while Shane McLoughlin is also a doubt after he was stamped on in midweek – an incident that led boss Graham Coughlan to bemoan a “crisis” in refereeing.

Evans missed the 4-1 FA Cup second-round replay win at Barnet on Tuesday with an ankle injury picked up at Tranmere Rovers last Saturday.

The 14-goal striker faces a late fitness test this morning to decide if he’s fit enough to tackle the Mariners at Rodney Parade.

“Will will have a fitness test and we’ll give him every chance to be involved. If he’s fit enough, he’ll play,” said Coughlan.

“It’s an impact injury so it’s quite tender and it has to be monitored.

“It shouldn’t be too long. Fingers crossed, he’ll be fine.

“Will is our talisman, he’s our main striker and our main man. He’s been brilliant this season.

“We’ve got a little issue with Shane McLoughlin who’s been stamped on, so that will need to be assessed and looked at,” added the Exiles boss.

“I hope the authorities are looking at it as well, and not just us.

“Action now would be no good to us, really. But you don’t want to see things like that in the game.”

The match at Barnet was broadcast live on ITV 4 and the cameras caught Bees winger Idris Kanu planting his studs into the leg of prone County defender McLoughlin.

“For a team of officials to say they haven’t seen it when the whole nation saw it, I don’t know what to say,” added Coughlan, who has been unhappy with decisions going against his team all season.

“It’s just one of those Newport decisions that we’ve got used to.

“Some of the things that went on the other night – the hand ball goal, the lad putting his feet over the line for throw-ins, using towels for throw-ins.

“And stamping on players is not something you want to see in the game, and for commentators to then be lauding him – I thought it was shameful, to be honest.

“I ask the officials, if it was their kids in the playground and someone stood on them how would they react? They’d want people to speak up.

“But we’re not allowed to say anything, we’re not allowed to be passionate about the game.

“I’d call on the PGMOL to do something about it, to protect this beautiful game, because there is no doubt that we are in a crisis with the decision makers.

“If we don’t speak up about it, it doesn’t get highlighted. All we get is an apology every Monday morning and I think something needs to be done.

“The nation saw that the other night and that is what we’re up against as a football club.”