NEWPORT County AFC received a huge boost as striker Rene Howe returned to action with a goal in today’s reserve match at Portsmouth.

The 28-year-old ruptured a thigh muscle in training back in August and went under the knife at the Royal Gwent Hospital in early September.

The club initially feared that Howe would be unavailable for the remainder of the campaign but the operation revealed that the damage was not as severe as first thought.

Howe returned to training last month and got his first run out from the bench in this afternoon’s 2-2 draw on the South Coast.

The former Burton Albion front man replaced academy product Alex Zanotti after 54 minutes of the Final Third Development Cup group stage fixture.

And he levelled from the penalty spot with two minutes remaining after Curtis Obeng was brought down in the box.

Chris Zebroski had opened the scoring with a penalty of his own after he was fouled on 18 minutes but Pompey fought back to lead 2-1 though Ben Close and Conor Chaplin before Howe’s late leveller.

Exiles boss Justin Edinburgh will not rush Howe back into first team action but his return to fitness will be a huge boost ahead of the hectic festive fixture list.

The striker, who arrived from Burton in January, was a star performer in pre-season having shed 5kg of excess weight over the summer but his bright start was cut short after four games of the new season.

Fellow striker Aaron O’Connor, who previously played with Howe at Rushden & Diamonds, believed his friend was in the best form of his career before the injury.

“It’s a shame for him because this is the best I’ve seen him,” O’Connor told the Argus in August.

“I’ve played with him before and this is the best shape he’s been in.

“He had a good pre-season and I think he would have been important for us and had a good season so I’m disappointed for him.”

Yesterday’s match also saw fellow striker Danny Crow return to action as he started up front alongside Zebroski and Tom Owen-Evans.

Adam Chapman and Mark Byrne started in midfield alongside Aaron Collins, while Obeng was joined in defence by Zanotti, Regan Poole and Keiran Parselle.

Lenny Pidgeley was in goal as he looked to impress Edinburgh and force his way back into the starting XI for Saturday’s League Two clash at home to Stevenage.

Pidgeley has not started a first team match since August with Joe Day impressing during his loan spell from Peterborough United and Jamie Stephens getting the nod at Carlisle United on November 29.

Meanwhile County have announced that the trip to Luton Town on December 20 is an all-ticket match.

See newport-county.co.uk for details on how to purchase tickets in advance.