PADRAIG Amond had warned that Newport County AFC wouldn’t get away with another sloppy start and he was proved correct but the Exiles still managed to scramble a point against bottom club Macclesfield Town.

County fought back from 2-0 down to beat Cambridge United on Saturday and they recovered from the same scoreline to level against the Silkmen.

A late penalty – the third of the game – appeared to have won it for the visitors before Jamille Matt headed in to level in the sixth minute of time added on in another crazy game at Rodney Parade.

County welcomed back Joe Day between the sticks but otherwise Michael Flynn went with the team and the formation that turned the match against Cambridge.

Mark O’Brien and Josh Sheehan were replaced by Charlie Cooper and Jamille Matt, just as they had from the bench on Saturday as the Exiles fought back from 2-0 down to win 4-2.

The inclusion of Matt alongside Amond and Antoine Semenyo up front was designed to get the hosts on the offensive right from the off.

And it almost paid immediate dividends as a Mickey Demetriou long throw caused problems in the visitor’s box and Matt, who scored two on Saturday, hooked a half volley wide after just 50 seconds.

Flynn’s men looked full of confidence as they poured forward in the opening few minutes and then it all went wrong.

Tyrone Marsh’s shot was deflected behind and his corner was headed in at the far post by Fiacre Kelleher to give the Silkmen a shock lead on six minutes.

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And David Fitzpatrick doubled their advantage from the penalty spot five minutes later when Dan Butler was adjudged to have pulled back Marsh in the area.

Flynn didn’t have the option of bringing on Matt this time but his side slowly began to recover their composure and they pulled a goal back with a superbly-executed training ground move on 29 minutes.

Semenyo’s goalbound effort was deflected behind and Cooper’s corner was flicked on by Amond for the on-rushing Butler to fire low past Kieran O’Hara from the edge of the area.

The comeback was very much on again and County could have been level before the break as Amond twice went close and Demetriou drilled a shot inches wide from 25 yards.

It should have been 2-2 five minutes after the break when Butler skipped past Peter Vincenti and crossed for Amond but O’Hara pulled off a stunning save to keep out the striker’s header.

Cooper fired over from distance and Fraser Franks saw a shot hit Matt and cannon towards goal only for O’Hara to tip it behind.

It felt like the equaliser was coming and it duly arrived just before the hour-mark.

Matt headed a throughball past O’Hara and was about to pull the trigger when he was tugged back by Kelleher.

Referee Trevor Kettle – who infuriated both sets of fans and players at times – had no hesitation in pointing to the spot but bafflingly failed to produce any sort of card for the Macclesfield defender, who had already been booked.

Demetriou confidently dispatched the penalty, just as he had against Cambridge, and the Exiles left themselves half an hour to win the game.

O’Hara got down well to keep out a Semenyo drive from distance before Flynn went for the jugular as he introduced Mark Harris for Cooper.

A third penalty of the night appeared to settle it in favour of the visitors eight minutes from time.

Demetriou was penalised as the ball appeared to hit his hand in the area and Fitzpatrick again beat Day from the spot.

He thought he’d earned his side their first win of the season but there was still time for more late drama.

In a frantic finale Tyreeq Bakinson was denied a penalty and Matt and Semenyo both went agonisingly close before Matt headed in to rescue a point at the death.

County: Day; Forbes, Franks, Demetriou, Butler; Bakinson, Bennett, Cooper (Harris, 79); Semenyo, Matt, Amond Subs not used: Townsend, Pipe, Foulston, Pring, Sheehan, Marsh-Brown

Booked: Franks, Demetriou, Cooper, Amond

Referee: Trevor Kettle

Attendance: 2,624 (52 Macclesfield)

Argus star man: Butler