FORMER Newport County AFC midfielder Ben Tozer denied his old club a winning start to the decade as his late leveller earned Cheltenham Town a point at Rodney Parade.

Tristan Abrahams’ opener, two minutes after the restart, looked to have earned County a first League Two victory since October 19.

Exiles boss Michael Flynn maintained his record of never having lost a home match in January as a manager but that will matter little to him as his side’s winless league run was extended to 10 games.

The last meeting between these sides was a crazy 7-4 win for County at Whaddon Road in the Leasing.com Trophy in November, but this game proved to be a tighter affair.

In truth, it never looked like catching fire in the same way and there was nothing much to brighten up a bleak New Year’s Day in Newport in the first half.

Abrahams bagged himself a hat-trick in that Trophy triumph so he got the nod to continue up front alongside Jamille Matt in an unchanged team, a decision that paid off after the break.

But chances were few and far between in the opening stages, with Matt having the first shot for the Exiles in the 27th minute and dragging his effort well wide.

Josh Sheehan then hit the wall with a free-kick before Will Boyle blocked a Matt shot after an impressive passing move.

And Joss Labadie was so close to putting County ahead in the 45th minute with two quick-fire shots, the first inadvertently blocked on the line by Matt and the second well saved by Scott Flinders.

Cheltenham threatened sporadically with Ryan Haynes blocking a Sean Long effort after 15 minutes and Mickey Demetriou doing well to divert two Tahvon Campbell shots behind, despite limping badly after an early knock.

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That injury forced Flynn into a change at the start of the second half as Demetriou was unable to continue and Matty Dolan came off the bench, with Scot Bennett dropping into the back four.

And, before the game had a chance to settle again, County were ahead thanks to an opportunist strike in the 47th minute.

A quick corner caught Cheltenham napping as Sheehan was released down the line and his square ball was prodded in by Abrahams at the near post.

Matt probably should have doubled the lead just after the hour mark when he was picked out by a tempting cross from George Nurse on the left flank.

But the striker failed to get enough power on his header and Flinders breathed a sigh of relief in the Robins goal.

There was more panic in the visiting defence when Dolan played a free-kick to Abrahams and his dangerous cross was only just hacked away.

And the goalscorer almost had a second a minute later when he missed the target from close range after Matt had headed on throw into the box.

While it remained 1-0, there was always the fear that the Exiles would drop deep and try to defend what they had while inviting pressure on to themselves.

Tom King got down well to hold on to a low shot from Jacob Greaves before County captain Labadie was replaced by Taylor Maloney.

It looked like the change would be enough to secure a much-needed three points as the game seemed to be drifting to a conclusion.

But Tozer was allowed far too much space and time to steal into the box and tap in from close range to silence his critics in the Rodney Road Stand and deny his former club the win they craved.

County: King; McNamara, Inniss, Demetriou (Dolan, 46), Haynes; Sheehan, Bennett, Labadie (Maloney, 75), Nurse; Matt, Abrahams (Amond, 90)

Subs not used: Townsend, Jefferies, Poleon

Booked: Inniss, Abrahams

Referee: Peter Wright

Attendance: 3,913 (303 Cheltenham)

Argus star man: Matt