NEWPORT County AFC’s bench will be vital on Good Friday because of Colchester United’s struggles with a boggy pitch, believes assistant manager Joe Dunne.

The Exiles take on the relegation-threatened U’s in League Two and go from the wind of Barrow to sodden Essex after another week of horrendous weather.

Colchester have games in hand over their rivals in the drop zone after a raft of postponements that allowed them to turn to the EFL for help.

An independent pitch specialists assessed the surface at the Jobserve Community Stadium and recommended that reducing the pitch in width and length would remove most of the problem areas.

The EFL allowed the U’s to cut their pitch down to 64 metres wide from 68 and 102 metres long from 105.

Dunne, a former Colchester player and coach, still lives in the town and when asked if he expected the surface to be boggy, he replied: “It will be. The dimension changes don’t affect us, there are no excuses for that because we train on similar pitches.

“That won’t have an affect but as the game draws on for both teams the physical element might and you will look to your bench to help.

“It’s a drainage issue that they have got and if you are playing in the wide areas then you will be tested and have to be spot-on.

“It will come down to desire, commitment and all the things that we pride ourselves on. We need to bring them to the table or we will be in serious trouble.”

Colchester have drawn their last four games on home soil.