A FOOTBALL manager has pinned a particularly pesky rodent as the prime suspect after a match was abandoned in Newport last week.

Newport City FC, who play in the third tier of Welsh football, were hosting Chepstow Town AFC at Newport Stadium on Friday night, September 22.

With the score at 1-1 after 25 minutes, part of the pitch descended into darkness leading the referee to put the game on hold.

At around 7:45pm, South Wales Fire and Rescue were alerted to a fire at the International Sports Village.

Crews from the Maindee station attended the incident and identified the source as the live electrical feed that powered the lighting.

“A rat had chewed through a wire in the fuse box and it led to one set of lights going out,” City first team manager Sam Houldsworth said. “The corner was too dark to carry on.

“There was a small fire which got put out quickly by one of our club volunteers and when the fire engine arrived it was all sorted, so it wasn’t too bad in the end.”

The club has offered all 302 spectators at last week's abandoned game free entry to the re-scheduled fixture, likely to take place at the end of the season in late March or early April.

A fire service spokesperson said: “At approximately 7:46pm on Friday 22 September 2023, we received reports of a fire at the International Sports Village, Newport.

“Maindee Fire and Rescue Station attended the incident.

“The fire was detected in the live electrical feed that powered the lighting, and firefighters completed appropriate safety checks.

“A stop message was received at approximately 8:17pm.”