Newport County denied by last-gasp Sutton strike in 1-1 draw

The Exiles looked set to secure a win to stretch their lead over the relegation zone when Shane McLoughlin smashed in a cracker, his sixth of the season, in the 79th minute.

However, they failed to record a clean sheet at Gander Green Lane when Tope Fadahunsi exploited hesitant defending at a last-minute corner to score from close range.

The 1-1 draw felt like two points dropped again by County but at least it wasn’t a pointless finish to a draining festive schedule in which Graham Coughlan has been unable to rotate due to injury.

They battled hard in horrendous and looked set for an away win to rival the one at Morecambe only to let their concentration slip at the death.

Nonetheless, the 18th-placed Exiles remain 13 points ahead of Sutton and one more ahead of bottom club Forest Green.

County named an unchanged XI from the 1-1 draw with Crewe on Friday with Will Evans and Seb Palmer-Houlden continuing up front, as they will have to do after the loss of Omar Bogle until March.

Adam Lewis was not on the bench after his recovery from a quad injury but Harrison Bright was a substitute after late clearance from the EFL following his return from a loan spell at Barry in the Cymru Premier.

County midfielder Harry Charsley is downed by Sutton (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

The tone was set in the second minute when Evans was challenged heavily as he went up for a header.

He landed on his back but did not get a free-kick as referee Alan Young made it clear he wanted to let play flow, even if there was rough and tumble.

County settled well and a nice move ended with a dangerous Shane McLoughlin cross being glanced clear then Scot Bennett and Palmer-Houlden couldn't quite conjure a shooting opportunity.

McLoughlin caused problems with a corner in the 14th minute that skidded off the surface but Sutton cleared after a scramble.

It was a tight contest and a battle with the hosts having the best chance in the 18th minute when they worked the ball wide to the right for a cross that Lee Angol headed wide.

Sutton, even without suspended targetman Harry Smith, were a threat with the aerial game yet that method almost provided the opener for County in the 26th minute.

Palmer-Houlden played the ball left to McLoughlin and got into the box to get to the cross and flick a header agonisingly wide of the right post.

County had half a chance in the 34th minute a Harry Charsley cut-back eluded Evans but rebounded to captain Ryan Delaney, who was clattered as he shot on the edge of the area.

Bryn Morris took aim from the free-kick but it was deflected narrowly wide.

The Exiles would have been relatively pleased with their first-half efforts yet were inches away from being behind in the 39th minute but Dion Pereira’s header from a chipped cross by Rob Milsom struck the outside of the left post.

There was a big chance for County on the stroke of half-time when Lewis Payne burgled possession high up the pitch and Evans rolled the ball to Palmer-Houlden but the Bristol City prospect curled high and wide from the edge of the area.

BATTLE: Scot Bennett tussles for possession for County at Sutton (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

Sutton started the second half well yet it took an excellent one-handed save by Dean Bouzanis to keep it level in the 49th minute.

Morris hooked a long ball forward that Palmer-Houlden chased and then worked the ball onto his right for a curling 25-metre effort that was destined for the right corner until the 'keeper intervened.

Sutton responded with a low Pereira shot that Nick Townsend held well in the slippery conditions, then he turned provider for substitute Aiden O’Brien to net in the 62nd minute only for the offside flag to go up.

That was immediately followed by James Waite replacing Harry Charsley in County's first change and the game opened up.

Sutton had the best chance with 18 minutes to go when Josh Coley went on the charge and squared the ball for Pereira to blaze well over the top.

The Exiles were suddenly looking leggy and Coughlan made a second change with quarter of an hour to go when Matty Bondswell came on for Scot Bennett.

Dangerman Coley had Townsend scrambling in the 77th minute when he tipped a deflected shot out for a corner that was cleared.

County’s battling paid off in the 79th minute when McLoughlin scored another cracker after they went route one.

A Townsend goal kick found Evans, who played the ball to Waite and the diminutive midfielder squeezed it through to the Irishman on the edge of the area. He smashed it left-footed into the top left corner.

Sutton were close to a quick leveller but Townsend got across his line to claim a header by Harry Beautyman after Bondswell was outdone down the left.

County were edging towards three precious points but then in the last of the 90 minutes a corner was poorly defended and Fadahunsi scored from close range.

Suddenly they had to protect their point in four added minutes, which thankfully they did to ensure they stopped Sutton from closing the gap.

Sutton scorers: Fadahunsi County: Townsend, Payne, Baker, Clarke, Delaney (captain), McLoughlin, Bennett (Bondswell 75), Morris, Charsley (Waite 62), Evans, Palmer-Houlden.

Substitutes: Maxted, Bright, Sanca, Wood, Rai.

Goal: McLoughlin.

Referee: Alan Young