NEWPORT County’s season opener can be summed up in the favourite phrase of former England manager Sven Goran Eriksson – first half good; second half not so good.

Yes, it was a late defeat. Later than any other in the country due to a 15-minute delay before kick-off because of the sheer number of County fans trying to get in.

Yes, it was down to a dubious penalty awarded in the 90th minute.

But Exiles boss Anthony Hudson will know that the performance after the break was well below the standard he requires of his players.

Defensively they were woeful as a back four, which had looked so solid early on, fell apart under pressure.

The midfielders stopped closing down their opponents, inviting Kettering to almost set up camp in their half, and goalkeeper Danny Potter will be disappointed with his part in all three goals conceded.

A big dip in performance levels, coupled with an improvement by Kettering, meant the Exiles paid the ultimate penalty and came away with nothing when it looked at half-time as if three points were there for the taking.

When the match did eventually begin at 3.15pm County began brightly and took a deserved lead on six minutes through the excellent Elliott Buchanan.

It came from a foul on Danny Rose just inside the Poppies’ half at their new Nene Park home.

Left-back Lee Baker floated a long ball into the box and Guillaume Velez headed it across goal to the unmarked Buchanan, who nodded it into the corner.

Simple but effective, it was a well-worked set piece and gave the visitors a platform to take charge of the game.

And they did control much of the first 45 minutes.

At the back Baker, Ismail Yakubu, Tom Miller and Paul Robson kept Kettering at bay efficiently and Potter was positive and commanding in dealing with corners and free kicks.

Hudson chose to match the hosts’ 4-2-3-1 formation and Scott Rogers and captain Tommy Doherty were a very effective shield for the defence, with Rose, Velez and Felino Jardim supporting Buchanan.

Kettering resorted to long balls over the top, which failed to find their target, but while County were on top they didn’t drive home their advantage.

Rogers wasted a good chance of a breakaway goal on 44 minutes by waiting too long to release Buchanan, who was then halted by an offside flag.

And the former Hayes & Yeading striker then lifted a shot just over the bar in time added on for injuries.

Nevertheless, Hudson would have been pleased with the first 45 minutes of the season and the Amber Army were in fine voice. If only they had known what was to come.

The equaliser arrived on 51 minutes as Potter failed to claim a Marcus Kelly corner from a crowd of players and Jean-Paul Marna scrambled the ball in off the underside of the bar from a few yards out. Hudson, looking for the win, threw on Craig McAllister for Velez in a switch to 4-4-2 but within five minutes the hosts were ahead.

Again Potter was at fault, only managing to deflect a Moses Ashikodi shot onto the post and not reacting quickly enough as Adam Cunnington headed the rebound into the net.

But County were level inside a minute as Rogers released Rose down the left-hand side of the box and the little magician slipped his shot under Kettering ’keeper Laurie Walker and inside his far post.

It was a great response but Kettering were definitely on top in the final stages as the livewire Craig Dobson replaced the injured Cunnington.

Ashikodi had the ball in the County net on 69 minutes but it was ruled out for a marginal offside and Jerel Ifil put a free header inches wide from a corner.

County had their first corner on 76 minutes and the disappointing Jardim put it straight out of play.

Buchanan fired over the top when put through by McAllister but most of the action was at the other end.

Ex-County man Jon Challinor cleared Potter’s bar with a long- range effort and the ’keeper saved superbly from Dobson.

Ashikodi sliced over from a yard out and then came the late drama.

Aman Verma shot wide from a corner and Miller was adjudged to have taken him out. Much to the amazement of most in the ground the referee pointed to the spot.

There was contact but it was after the shot, so it’s hard to see how Miller was denying a goal-scoring opportunity.

The protests were to no avail, however, as Marna’s spot kick squeezed under Potter’s body and condemned County to defeat.

It’s a tough way to lose on any day, let alone the opening day of a new season, but in truth on the second-half showing it was probably a fair result.

Gary Warren, away with the British student team, was missed but this result shows Hudson’s Exiles are still a work in progress. At least there are still 45 games to get it right.

Kettering: Walker, P Ifil, Davis, J Ifil, Ashikodi, Verma, Marna, Kelly, Challinor, Cunnington (Dobson, 62), Parry.

Subs not used: Noubissie, Bailey, Patrick, Haxin.

Booked: P Ifil, Marna.

County: Potter, Robson, Baker, Miller, Yakubu, Rose, Rogers, Doherty, Buchanan, Jardim (Foley, 86), Velez (McAllister, 56).

Subs not used: Hughes, Rodgers, Harrison.

Booked: Doherty, Rose, Rogers.

Referee: A Davies.

Attendance: 2,047.

Argus star man: Buchanan.