NEWPORT 2 STEVENAGE 2

A LATE leveller from Mark Hughes rescued a point for Stevenage at Rodney Parade and denied Terry Butcher a first win as Exiles manager.

County were superb in a second half fightback, Aaron Collins and Scott Boden scoring the goals that had seemed to put them on course for a vital victory.

And Medy Elito may have won the contest for County in injury time, blazing wide as Newport pushed and pushed for the winner they’ll have felt their play merited.

The gulf in resources between the two clubs was evidenced in the starting line-ups, with County handing a full debut to teenager Aaron Collins in attack.

Newport were still without striker Lenell John-Lewis and that’s the predicament the Exiles currently find themselves in, without a senior player, they must turn to an untried prospect.

Contrast that with the visitors, who had five former Tottenham players in their starting XI, as well as current highly-rated Spurs prospect, Connor Ogilvie, on their bench.

However, there was certainly a contrast in the respective dug-outs, with two greats of English football both battling it out to try and earn a first win at their new clubs.

Terry and Teddy might be about as far removed from one another as you can get in the playing sense, but they are two of the highest profile managers working outside the Premier League.

Both clubs are enduring significant re-building periods and both would have enjoyed the atmosphere at Rodney Parade, the amber army in fine voice for the first home clash of the season, warmly receiving both bosses.

However, if the atmosphere and even the weather was warm and welcoming, the football, alas, was anything bit, the first half an hour cagey and fractured.

Neither side managed to create a clear-cut opportunity, the visitors coming closest when Charlie Lee scuffed across goal under pressure from Yan Klukowski, a challenge that saw both players receive treatment.

At the other end Newport were struggling to hold the ball for long enough to fashion something penetrative, Scott Boden’s impressive touch and technique allowing them a first chance on 25 minutes, combining with Collins to tee up Seth Nana-Twumasi, but he fired straight at Chris Day, meekly.

Stevenage might have led ten minutes later, Tom Pett getting on the end of a cross from former Exiles loanee Fraser Franks, but his firm drive was repelled by the strong arms of goalkeeper Joe Day.

Not that County paid heed to the warning, because the half quickly spiralled out of control for them, as they endured a mad five minutes.

First they fell behind, from their own attack, a routine punt up field catching County far too far advanced defensively, and completely exposed by the high line.

Dipo Akinyemi raced clear and made no mistake with a calm finish, though the same player squandered two further chances before the interval, blazing over as Sheringham’s side poured on the pressure.

Newport needed to come out far sharper in the second period but again took a while to find their feet, allowing the game to drift as they relied too heavily on the outlet of a direct, aerial ball.

It wasn’t until the hour mark that Newport fashioned a genuine chance, a superb run by Danny Holmes carving the visitors apart, but striker Scott Boden was denied by a terrific block.

Attacking play from the full-backs has been a feature for Newport under boss Butcher, and it was from a run by Scott Barrow on the other flank that County managed to restore parity, Medy Elito combining with Scott Barrow whose pinpoint cross was headed home by teen ace Aaron Collins, sparking a celebration from the youngster that will live long in the memory.

The goal transformed the Exiles, Butcher’s side suddenly finding a tempo and intensity that the visitors really struggled to live with, Newport coming within a whisker of going ahead on a couple of occasions.

Medy Elito fired just over with a piledriver before Scott Boden was denied, his header from Twumasi’s cross just tipped away by Chris Day.

From looking bereft and clueless the Exiles were suddenly all over their opponents and it seemed a matter of if, not when, they would manage to find the goal to put them in front.

It duly arrived with eleven left on the clock, another great run by Collins leading to chaos in the visiting area and Boden was on hand to produce a cool finish, rooting Chris Day by planting the ball perfectly into the bottom corner.

It sparked delirious scenes and County looked good value for the victory, even though Brett Williams squandered a golden late chance to earn a point, blazing wide from the corner of the six-yard box.

However, Mark Hughes feint touch from a hopeful cross gave the visitors a lucky leveller in injury time, a kick to the guts for County after such a fine revival.

They should have won it at the death as well, but Poole was denied by Day in a frantic counter-attack that ended with Elito volleying wide.

Newport: (4-4-2): Day, Holmes, Barrow, Poole, Parselle, Twumasi, Elito, Byrne, Klukowski, Collins, Boden

Stevenage (4-3-3): Day, Franks, Okimo, Hughes, Wells, Parrett, Schumacher, Lee, Williams, Akinyemi, Pett