Newport County scrape late draw against struggling Oldham

The seventh-placed Exiles salvaged something thanks to Mickey Demetriou’s wonder strike at the death but it felt like two points dropped in the promotion race.

It was an action-packed game featuring six goals and a red card and James Rowberry’s men at least got something to show for their efforts ahead of a tough run in Newport against Mansfield, Tranmere, Forest Green Rovers and Bristol Rovers.

County got their noses in front after 13 minutes when left wing-back Ryan Haynes cut in to fire in his first goal of the season.

They were pegged back when Davis Keillor-Dunn finished at the back post from a long diagonal pass but Dom Telford reacted sharply to fire in his 21st league goal of his remarkable campaign to earn a deserved 2-1 lead at the break.

That was soon wiped out by Latics substitute Mike Fondop, who headed in from a corner three minutes after the restart.

It was an even contest but Oldham had to play the last 22 minutes down to 10 men after Dylan Bahamboula was given a straight red card for a reckless tackle on Matty Dolan.

That led to County laying siege to the Latics goal with the game almost exclusively played in front of the North Terrace, until a sucker punch led to Fondop putting the 10 men in front with eight minutes to go.

Thankfully Demetriou produced a stunning long-distance strike with two minutes remaining but the Exiles couldn’t force an even more dramatic winner.

Oldham are resurgent under John Sheridan but this still felt like a missed opportunity, one that they really should be taking if they are to be contenders for the top three. They paid the price for a poor start to the second half.

DELIGHT: Dom Telford and Ryan Haynes scored in the first half

County brought midfielder Ollie Cooper back into the starting line-up after the influential Swansea prospect was given a breather at Northampton in midweek, when he came on for the last half hour.

Manager James Rowberry made one other change with captain Dolan earning a first start since New Year’s Day, a switch that also led to a return to three at the back.

It wasn’t just Oldham manager John Sheridan who was making a return to Newport.

The Latics featured Chris Missilou in midfield after he was released by County in December while Tope Obadeyi, a summer triallist who had remained to stay sharp and feature for the development team, was among the substitutes.

The Exiles hit the front against Barrow after just 94 seconds and their start against Oldham was almost even sharper with Cooper firing wide from outside the area with 10 seconds on the clock.

Rowberry’s side started on the front foot and got their settler in the 14th minute through an unlikely source.

They showed patience in attack to keep probing before Finn Azaz worked the ball to Haynes on the left, who cut in on his right foot to fire through a crowded box past Danny Rogers at his near post.

The Exiles pressed for a second but were given a warning after 25 minutes when Keillor-Dunn fired a snap-shot wide of Nick Townsend’s goal from the edge of the box.

The hosts didn’t heed that warning and were soon pegged back after a frustratingly simple goal for the Latics.

A long diagonal by the classy, at this stage anyway, Bahamboula went over Mickey Demetriou and Keillor-Dunn finished smartly on the volley to undo County’s good work.

They tried to get their noses back in front but Dolan was denied from distance by Rogers and Scot Bennett’s shot was blocked after a Cooper cutback.

It seemed that Telford had also been frustrated in the 40th minute when his left-footed shot was blocked on the edge of the box but the striker reacted sharply to give the ‘keeper no chance with a powerful effort with his right.

County were good value for their lead but the Latics had shown enough in flashes to suggest it wouldn’t be a routine three-pointer.

So it proved with the visitors starting impressively in the second half and levelling when Fondop got a clear run at a corner from the right to powerful head past Townsend.

Rowberry made his first change after 57 minutes by bringing on Robbie Willmott for the booked Bennett, a sign that he wanted more movement of the ball.

Townsend had to be alert to tip a Sam Hart driven shot behind and County scrambled the ball off the line from the resulting corner.

The Exiles were next to go close just past the hour when Azaz was denied by a Jordan Clarke block in the box; there were appeals for handball from the stands but it was certainly wonderfully committed defending.

It was anybody’s game but the balance tipped towards County in the 69th minute when Bahamboula was sent off for a wild tackle on Dolan; he had been booked but this was a straight red from referee Robert Lewis.

Telford was close to making it 3-2 only for his shot to hit the right post and then Cameron Norman’s header was kept out by Rogers.

But rather than chasing a winner, County were soon chasing an equaliser with eight minutes to go after Fondop scored after a near-post run.

The hosts piled on the pressure from corners and crosses before Demetriou levelled with an absolute stunner from distance, a hit as terrific as Dolan’s in the play-off semi-final against Forest Green Rovers.

It took a tremendous block by the central defender to ensure Oldham didn’t hit them with a second sucker punch. Time will tell whether it is a good point.

County: Townsend, Norman (Waite 82), Haynes, Pask, Dolan (captain), Demetriou, Bennett (Willmott 57), Azaz, Cooper, Telford, Baker-Richardson (Street 90).
Substitutes: Day, Clarke, Willmott, Caine, Waite, Street, Fisher.
Yellow: Bennett
Goals: Haynes, Telford, Demetriou

Oldham: Rogers, Clarke, Hart, McGahey, Piergianni (captain), Adams, Whelan, Keillor-Dunn, Bahamboula, Missilou, Luamba.
Substitutes: Leutwiler, Fondop, Stobbs, Hunt, Obadeyi, Couto, Vaughan.
Yellow: Hart, Bahamboula, Missilou
Red: Bahamboula
Goals: Keillor-Dunn, Fondop (2)

Referee: Robert Lewis
Attendance: 3,901 (342 away)