Cheltenham Town 1, Newport County 1
Newport County are fighting for their Football League lives with a spirit which will strike fear into the hearts of their fellow strugglers.
Manager Graham Westley’s Exiles have character and passion for the task.
They fired an injury time equaliser at Cheltenham and now turn to successive home matches at Rodney Parade, against leaders Doncaster Rovers and Grimsby Town.
Westley believes Newport fans are going to play a full part in their quest to climb away from bottom place in League Two.
“Our fans were astonishing (at Cheltenham),” said Westley. “They played their part for us.
“We were the better side and over the course of the game we deserved to win.
“We are happy with the point. We are four unbeaten and long may that continue. To have lost the game would have been a travesty, and I thought the players showed they have developed character.”
Newport have earned six points from their last four matches, collecting a win and three draws.
They need to improve on that if they are to perform their own version of the Great Escape.
County were rocked when Cheltenham went ahead against the run of play when Kyle Wootton netted after 62 minutes.
The visitors had looked the better team for long periods and that goal was a massive blow, but Newport fought back with a passion and deserved their equaliser, scored by substitute Jaanai Gordon three minutes into injury time.
Almost 1,000 Newport fans made the trip to Cheltenham and they made their feelings of joy clear when Gordon’s effort hit the net.
Westley named an unchanged starting line-up from the 3-1 home win against Hartlepool United.
They looked in control and goalkeeper Joe Day was largely untroubled until Wootton’s goal for the home team. Even that goal had an air of fortune about it.
Dan Holman’s shot hit the angle of past and bar and Wootton forced the ball goalwards from the rebound, reacting with delight when it trickled into the net.
Sean Rigg took over from injured Scot Bennett and Gordon replaced Aaron Williams just after the hour.
Josh Sheehan replaced Reid for the final 15 minutes and Newport pressed on. Darren Jones went close, but his effort was cleared off the line, while David Pipe almost scored from a header.
Then came Gordon’s late equaliser and Newport are still hoping they can survive. Westley’s team are three points from safety with a game in hand on some teams above them.
County: Day, O’Brien, Jones, Nelson, Pipe, Bennett (Rigg 64), Rose, Butler, Reid (Sheehan 76), Bird, Williams (Gordon 68)
Subs not used: Bittner, Demetriou, Owen-Evans, Samuel
Referee: Chris Sarginson
Attendance: 3,763.