Newport County draw with League Two leaders Forest Green

The Exiles started fast then had to dig deep for a share of the spoils in a game of quality, tenacity and tactical jabs.

County led 1-0 at the break after arguably their most impressive halves of the season.

They hit the front in the third minute when Finn Azaz calmly side-footed in from Rob Street’s cross and they made the leaders struggle with their energy up top.

It was hard to believe that they had slugged it out with third-placed Tranmere just three days earlier such was the speed with which Azaz, Ollie Cooper, Street and Dom Telford pressed from the front.

That could, perhaps should, have led to them doubling their advantage but both Street and Telford were denied by good stops by Luke McGee.

Rovers finished the half strongly and were back level after 53 minutes when Jack Aitchison drove a shot in low at the near post.

County battled hard against the pace-setters and finished with 10 men after centre-back James Clarke was sent off for two yellows, both for shirt pulls on former Exile Jamille Matt.

They survived for a well-deserved and hard-earned point that lifts them to sixth in the table ahead of Saturday’s clash with promotion rivals Bristol Rovers.

County had to dig deep and do the ugly side of the game to go along with the neat stuff from the first half.

JOY: County celebrate their opener

Manager James Rowberry made one change to the XI that started in the 4-2 win against Tranmere with the injured Robbie Willmott replaced by Jake Cain, a change that was made in the first half on Saturday.

The shortage of defenders and midfielders led to Timmy Abraham making it a very attacking bench, with the Fulham forward involved in a matchday squad for the first time since mid-January and hoping for his first action since Rochdale away on December 18.

Forest Green headed to Newport with nine of their XI that impressed in the 2-0 victory over the Exiles in Gloucestershire at the start of February, when midfielder Ebou Adams ran the show in his return from reaching the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals with Gambia.

County needed to start well against such strong opposition and did just that.

Cameron Norman had a shot after just 16 seconds then Azaz gave them the lead after two minutes and 29 seconds.

Street flew down the right wing and picked out a perfect pass to his fellow loanee; the Aston Villa man curled in a wondergoal from distance against Tranmere with his right but stayed calm to slot a more routine effort with his left.

The Exiles were full of energy and were close to a second in the ninth minute when Aaron Lewis’ cross from the left was just too high for Telford, who was stretching for a flicked header.

They got a warning in the 12th minute when Dom Bernard’s shot was deflected into the side netting – to the disappointment of the celebrating visiting contingent – and soon had a claim for a penalty waved away when Street appeared to get caught in the head by a high boot.

County needed a second and nearly conjured one after 20 minutes through graft and skill.

Azaz stole possession and combined with Street only to be denied by a strong block by onrushing goalkeeper McGee, who got his timing spot-on.

The stopper saved his side again after 35 minutes when he denied Telford with his boot after another pickpocketing by Azaz.

It should have been 2-0 with the pass to an unmarked Street seeming the better option, something easy to spot and then write from a seat in the stand.

Things were getting spicey with Lewis booked for a block, Rowberry warned for grumbling Bernard didn’t suffer the same fate and both Scot Bennett and Jamille Matt cautioned for putting their friendship on hold for 90 minutes and having a scuffle.

Rovers finished the half strongly and came close in added time when Dan Sweeney flicked a Nicky Cadden cross at goal but Nick Townsend’s positioning was good to safely catch.

County held their advantage at the break and were a touch fortunate to retain it after a bright start by Forest Green with both Matty Stevens and Matt, rivals with Telford for the golden boot, wasting openings.

The Exiles went close themselves with a rapid counter that ended with Azaz pulling a shot a yard wide after good defending by the last man.

However, Rovers pegged County back when Aitchison was worked into the box down the left and fired in a powerful low shot that beat Townsend at his near post.

The visitors almost hit the front approaching the hour Cain deflected a Nicky Cadden cross just past his own goal.

This was a serious test of County, who felt they weren’t getting the rub of the green from referee Charles Breakspear.

Townsend might have been disappointed with the leveller but he produced a fine fingertip save to deny Cadden putting Rovers in front from distance with 65 gone.

There were some tired bodies out there and County made their first change with quarter of an hour to go, James Waite replacing Cooper.

There were potential openings for the Exiles on the break but they were having to dig deep in defence against a Rovers side hungry for three points.

The visitors were able to push with a man advantage for the last seven minutes after Clarke received a second booking for dragging down Matt.

Townsend pulled off another wonderful save to deny Cadden from the resulting free-kick.

Five minutes of added time went up with the crowd playing their part to get their team to the line for a point that the graft and work rate deserved.

County: Townsend, Norman, Clarke, Demetriou (captain), Haynes, Bennett, Cain, Cooper (Waite 75), Azaz, Telford (Haynes 84), Street (Fisher 90).
Substitutes: Day, Dolan, Collins, Abraham.
Yellow: Lewis, Bennett, Cooper, Clarke.
Red: Clarke
Goals: Azaz

Forest Green: McGee, Godwin-Malife, Moore-Taylor, Bernard, Wilson, Sweeney, Adams, Aitchison, Cadden, Matt (captain), Stevens.
Substitutes: Thomas, Cargill, Stevenson, Hendry, Diallo, McAteer, March.
Yellow: Matt
Goal: Aitchison

Referee: Charles Breakspear

Attendance: 4,448 (346 Forest Green)