Luton 1 County 1

NEWPORT County finally got their season off the ground at the home of Easyjet last night.

Like flying with the budget airline, this was a no-frills experience from the Exiles' point of view but after a battling display they fully deserved a point at high-flying Luton Town.

This was County's first trip to Kenilworth Road since January 1968 when the two sides drew 1-1 in front of 10,992 in the old fourth division.

And last night's crowd of 6,945, including 423 from Newport, saw the same result with Zdenek Kroca cancelling out Charlie Henry's opener midway through the first half before heroics from County goalkeeper Glyn Thompson in the second half.

Manager Dean Holdsworth made just one change in personnel from Saturday's disappointing 2-2 home draw against Histon with Kerry Morgan replacing Scott Rogers.

But the Exiles boss did shuffle the pack further by switching Eddie Odhiambo to an unaccustomed left-back slot, with Jamie Collins moving into central midfield alongside Danny Rose in a 4-4-2 formation.

Morgan started on the left with Henry on the right and Robbie Matthews and Craig Reid up front.

County began confidently with Henry, Rose and Morgan enjoying good possession early on but the Hatters soon showed why they top the table and are early season favourites to win the Conference.

Chris Todd was forced into action in the seventh minute, timing his sliding tackle superbly to nick the ball just as Matthew Barnes-Homer was about to pull the trigger.

Barnes-Homer then fired in a thunderous snap shot from 25 yards that Thompson did well to beat away from danger.

Then ex-Premier League striker Kevin Gallen got in on the act, testing Thompson with a neatly placed effort that was heading for the far corner before the 'keeper palmed it out.

Powerhouse forward Barnes-Homer went close again moments later as the home side provided a master-class in sharp, incisive attacking football in an electrifying opening 15 minutes The home side had nothing to show for their early dominance but they had done enough to get this famous old ground rocking and the noise-level rarely dropped below deafening all evening.

County tried to respond in kind; Morgan's speculative effort had Luton goalkeeper Mark Turner looking worried before it cleared the bar and Matthews set up Reid but last season's top scorer miscued his shot.

Then came the moment that stunned Kenilworth Road on 27 minutes. Henry cut in from the left touchline after switching with Morgan and unleashed a vicious right foot shot that beat Tyler at his near post.

The wily winger saw fit to wind up the home crowd by somersaulting his way down the pitch towards the travelling amber army.

But their joy didn't last long – just three minutes in fact. Luton responded like promotion favourites as Kroca punished some slack defending in the box to poke the ball under Thompson. Odhiambo could only hook it into the net as it crossed the line and the scores were level.

It was a deserved equaliser as Henry's screamer came against the run of play and the home side were nearly in front on 37 minutes as that man Barnes-Homer was once again denied by the razor-sharp reflexes of Thompson from close range.

Odhiambo, who was a right-back for Stevenage at this level last season, was targeted as a potential weak link on the left side of defence. He coped admirably for the most part but Lee Baker's return from injury can't come soon enough for Holdsworth.

Collins looked much more comfortable in midfield where he was back to his combative best crunching into tackles as the crowd began to get frustrated with the clock ticking and chances few and far between after the break.

Henry went closest for County with a curling free-kick, which was a foot wide of the target, and Barnes-Homer missed his umpteenth chance at the other end – heading wide from six yards out.

Exiles skipper Gary Warren, putting in his best display of the season so far, did well to block another effort from the imposing striker on 71 minutes before disaster struck a minute later when Rose chopped down substitute Danny Crow in the box.

But it just wasn't Barnes-Homer's night as he watched Thompson dive low to his right to easily stop his woeful spot-kick.

Man of the match Thompson was at full stretch to stop Adam Drury's goal-bound curler with eight minutes left and County held on for a draw against 10 men after Keith Keane received his second yellow card for a late challenge on sub Darryl Knights.

Still no wins in the Blue Square Bet Premier but this was definitely a point gained rather than two dropped for Holdsworth's men.

Luton: Tyler, Gleeson, Murray, Keane, G.Pilkington, Barnes-Homer (Craddock, 79), Drury, Kroca, Besta, Gnakpa (Howells, 56), Gallen (Crow, 64)

Subs not used: Newton, K.Pilkington

Booked: Keane. Red: Keane

County: Thomspon, Bignot, Collins, Warren, Todd, Rose, Reid (Rogers, 90), Henry (Knights, 79), Odhiambo, Matthews, Morgan (Foley, 69)

Subs not used: Thorne, Garner

Referee: C.Berry

Attendance: 6,945 (423 away)

Argus star man: Thompson