Crewe Alexandra 3 Newport County 2

Goals from Antoine Semenyo and Padraig Amond put County on course for victory after the hosts led at the break, but they were hit by two hammer blows late on to slip to an agonising 3-2 defeat.

Crewe levelled from the spot on 88 minutes and sealed all three points in the second minute of stoppage time.

A fifth loss in six games in League Two means Michael Flynn’s men stay 13th in the table but they lost further ground on those above them.

Dan Butler returned from suspension to replace Vashon Neufville in the only change from last Sunday.

Jamille Matt, who opened the scoring against the Foxes, had the chance to do the same at Gresty Road after five minutes.

The striker failed to spot the unmarked Robbie Willmott to his right and opted to shoot from 20 yards out but his effort lacked the power to trouble Ben Garratt in the Crewe goal.

The hosts then took charge of the match and they should have been ahead in the 11th minute when Chris Porter latched on to Perry Ng’s cross only to sky his shot over from close range.

Jordan Bowery and Ryan Wintle then shot straight at Joe Day and Ng curled over the bar.

At the other end Amond headed on to the roof of the net from Butler’s deep cross but it was no surprise when Bowery put Crewe ahead moments later.

Ng and Porter combined to free the striker, who went past Mickey Demetriou and blasted the ball through Day’s legs to give his side a deserved lead on 34 minutes.

Semenyo wasted a decent opportunity a minute later when he miscued his shot from Robbie Willmott’s cross, but the hosts could have added to their lead before the break.

Day did well to pluck a Bowery header out of the air and he also saved superbly with his feet to deny Porter in stoppage time.

Tyreeq Bakinson replaced the tiring Matty Dolan just before the hour but Crewe continued to create the better chance and Day continued to keep his side in the game.

The Exiles number one stopped a low drive from Ng with his shins and reacted brilliantly to keep out George Ray’s glancing header.

The match only seemed to be going one way before County fashioned an equaliser out of the blue in the 65th minute.

Bakinson lofted a high ball over the home defence and Semenyo sprang into action before drilling his shot low and hard and into the corner of the net.

All of a sudden, the visitors believed they could not only grab a point but also force a winner.

Day was again called into action to tip over a long-ranger from Charlie Kirk and, as the game became increasingly stretched in the closing stages, Nicky Hunt cleared off the line from Amond.

But the Irishman wasn’t to be denied on 76 minutes when the Exiles took advantage of some woeful defending from the home side and Amond scrambled in from Matt’s knockdown.

County looked fairly comfortable until Fraser Franks hauled down his man in the box to allow Porter to level from the penalty spot on 88 minutes.

And, after the board showed six minutes added on, worse was to come in stoppage time.

After an almighty scramble in the box, featuring another superb save by Day and a Butler header off the line, Callum Ainley lashed in the winner to break the Exiles’ hearts at the death.

County: Day; Forbes, Franks, Demetriou, Butler; Bennett, Dolan (Bakinson, 57); Willmott (O'Brien, 90), Amond, Semenyo (Sheehan, 82); Matt

Subs not used: Townsend, Pipe, Neufville, Marsh-Brown

Booked: Matt, Semenyo

Referee: Nicholas Kinseley

Attendance: 3,104 (186 County)

Argus star man: Day