IT was a case of so near and yet so far again for Butcher’s Babes on another frustrating night for Newport County AFC.

Manager Terry Butcher saw his young side produce an excellent first half display but they failed to capitalise on their early dominance.

And one slip from 18-year-old Kieran Parselle proved costly and allowed Hartlepool United to seal a third straight win in League Two.

Butcher kept faith with the side that so nearly beat Stevenage at Rodney Parade on Saturday, opting to retain teenagers Regan Poole and Parselle in central defence and keep Aaron Hayden on the bench.

Fellow teen Aaron Collins, who so memorably celebrated his first goal for the senior side in a competitive fixture against Teddy Sheringham’s men, also kept his place up front.

And County carried on where they’d left off at the weekend with a positive start at Victoria Park, taking the fight to the hosts and showing plenty of attacking intent.

Ronnie Moore’s side should have been full of confidence but the Exiles set about them with pace and purpose and certainly looked more likely to break the deadlock than their opponents.

Seth Nana Twumasi saw a half volley clear Adam Bartlett’s bar by inches early on.

And Danny Holmes enjoyed plenty of space to attack down the right flank, creating chances throughout the first half for captain Mark Byrne and striker Scott Boden.

After 18 minutes County produced the best move of the half as Holmes fed Yan Klukowski down the right, he squared it to Boden and Byrne’s fierce drive was again just over the top.

Boden also headed just wide from a chipped Byrne cross and then fired a shot straight at Bartlett as County continued to press but just lacked a cutting edge at the crucial moments.

At the other end Joe Day was largely untroubled, save for a poor kick out that found Rakish Bingham but his shot was always rising over the bar.

Poole was forced into one acrobatic clearance but generally it was the home goal that was most under threat and the Pools supporters began to show their frustration as their side was pegged back.

All that counted for very little, however, once Scott Fenwick had taken advantage of a slip from Parselle on the wet turf to thump the ball past Day from the edge of the area six minutes after the restart.

It was extremely harsh on Butcher’s boys after their first half showing and they could well have been 2-0 down shortly afterwards.

A long punt forward, reminiscent of the one that caught them out for the first goal on Saturday, again caused problems and the Exiles were relieved to see Michael Woods balloon his effort so high it exited the stadium.

Day then made his first real save of the match as he brilliantly denied Bingham after the powerful front man had wriggled free of Scott Barrow.

Suddenly, with the crowd off their backs, the hosts looked like a side who could challenge at the top end of the table this season.

And County, after all their good work in the first half began to look a little ragged in the rain.

Collins forced a fumble from Bartlett with a piledriver but the keeper gathered at the second attempt and, in truth, it was the hosts who threatened more at the death even if County’s effort levels never dipped.

Fenwick should perhaps have doubled his tally but he hooked a half volley wide before he was subbed and his replacement Rhys Oates was denied a certain goal by a brilliant block on the line by Poole.

Tom Owen-Evans came on in place of Klukowski and Boden fired just wide but there was no way back into the game for the visitors.

One point from three games is not the start that Butcher will have wanted but it is still one more than County had at this stage last season.

And the Exiles boss will reflect on another encouraging display from his side for the most part, even if they ultimately made the long trip home with nothing to show for it.

Hartlepool: Bartlett, Duckworth, Harrison, Bates, Carroll, Magnay, Featherstone, Woods (Walker, 86), Fenwick (Oates, 77), Paynter, Bingham

Subs not used: Denton, Oyenuga, Nelson-Addy, Jones, Smith Booked: Woods

County: Day, Holmes, Poole, Parselle, Barrow, Elito, Byrne, Klukowski (Owen-Evans, 73), Twumasi, Collins, Boden

Subs not used: Taylor, Hayden, Shephard, Bamford, Jones, Angel

Referee: Ben Toner Attendance: 3,739 (73 County)

Argus star man: Danny Holmes