NEWPORT County were cruelly denied three points last night after visitors Welling grabbed a goal with the last kick.
County, who fielded a side unchanged from Saturday's 3-0 win over Maidenhead, were frustrated by a spectacular freekick from Jamie Day.
It was harsh on County who performed admirably against a side who could politely be described as physical, but more fairly assessed as brutal.
Despite the visitors eliminating any chance of an attractive match by playing for possession and territory County attacked with gusto and turned the game into a compelling contest.
A bruising opening 15 minutes was crying out for a moment of individualism to lift the gloom and on 17 minutes Matt Green produced, firing County into the lead with an absolute stunner.
A huge punt up field by goalkeeper Tony Pennock appeared harmless enough, until a clever run by striker Craig Hughes drew away the covering defender.
This allowed Green to control the huge clearance on the edge of the area with his thigh, before turning to volley home.
The goal seemed to rock the visitors who continued to foul more than they tackled, pushing County into the ascendancy.
They should have doubled their advantage, the excellent Gary Fisken again at the heart of County's best moves.
From a Jason Bowen corner on 22 minutes he almost found the net, volleying from the edge of the penalty area, but his stinging effort went a yard past the post.
Four minutes later he again came close, deftly controlling a Bowen throw with his left foot before rifling a shot which goalkeeper Jamie Turner did very well to turn around the post.
Bowen, as usual, was at the heart of most of the good attacking play from County and on 36 minutes a superb run from Lee Jenkins saw Bowen move clear, only for Turner to again deny the Exiles with a superb save.
Welling threatened little other than physical violence, Matt Bodkin astonishingly the only player to be booked as the visitors tested the patience of the referee, who was given a hostile reaction from the frustrated Spytty Park faithful who felt he should have produced more yellow cards.
Welling came out with far greater purpose in the second half and attempted to expose an extremely high defensive line from Newport.
However, County should have put distance between them and Welling, but Hughes twice wasted glorious opportunities.
County paid when after 66 minutes Welling equalised. Day swung in a vicious corner right under the cross-bar that was contested virtually on the line by County defender Stuart Edwards, Welling striker James Pinnock and 'keeper Pennock, though it appeared that the final touch came off Edwards' back.
County manager Peter Beadle felt that Pinnock impeded Pennock, but the referee was not in a position to spot any such offence in a crowded penalty area.
For the following ten minutes the visitors ripped into County smelling blood and a potential winner, but County regained the lead after a freak own goal.
There appeared no danger when striker Green chased an innocuous Fisken pass, but experienced defender Barry Ashby never looked back as he attempted to steer the ball to his goalkeeper and Turner was completely wrong-footed as the ball trickled past him into the empty net.
Green and Hughes then combined to give Nathan Davies a chance to clinch the victory, but Turner saved his 12-yard effort.
With two minutes left County were reprieved when Pinnock hammered the crossbar after Newport failed to deal with a long ball, but deep into injury time Day curled a superb effort past Pennock to deny County.
County: Pennock, A Williams, T Evans, Edwards, Hillier, Jenkins, Davies, Fisken (O'Sullivan 75), Bowen, Green, Hughes. Subs not used: Bradley, Hearne, Warton, Bater. Booked: Hillier (90, foul) Welling: Turner, Gledhill, Soloman, Ashby, Moore, Rowland, Owen, Bodkin (Moore 60), Pinnock, Stadhart, Day. Subs not used: Green, Pennock, Ibrahim. Booked: Bodkin (27, foul), Stadhart (48, dissent), Ashby (67 foul) Attendance: 602. Referee: Lee Cox (Nailsea)
County's home FAW Premier Cup match with Wrexham will be next Wednesday, kick-off 7pm.
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