County 1 Luton 1

Newport County's 'Jamie on the spot' rescued a point for the Exiles last night with a dramatic last-gasp penalty.

After successive agonies from 12 yards against Rushden and Histon cost County dearly, a 95th minute penalty from Jamie Collins saved the Exiles' season after they trailed for the majority of a disappointing contest.

It capped a spirited fightback from Newport, who at the very least showed they have options galore to change a contest from the substitutes bench.

Boss Tim Harris opted to make three changes to his personnel from the start with at least two of the changes somewhat of a surprise, youngster Andrew Hughes thrown in at left-back (where he performed excellently) and Glyn Thompson recalled to the side at the expense of Glyn Garner, the Wales cap paying the price for conceding three at Mansfield despite making some important second half saves.

Skipper Gary Warren returned for suspended centre-half Chris Todd.

The visit of a club like Luton inevitably leads to a big game feeling, not least under the floodlights at Spytty Park, but of course, for County, this was more than just an exercise in patting themselves on the back for how much progress they've made.

County needed to produce against the Hatters and started brightly, Charlie Griffin straight into the thick of the action on his second coming at Newport Stadium, combining well with Robbie Matthews as the Exiles pushed for an opener.

Without a win in 2011 – nine games and counting now – the Exiles looked composed but somewhat nervy, Danny Rose's set-piece delivery surprisingly off as the visitors looked to spring on the counter-attack.

The Exiles needed to be strong and deal with the sporadic counters when they occurred, but from the very first Hatters move they went behind to a move straight off the training ground.

The goal was frustrating in its simplicity, Keith Keane finding space on the right and crossing accurately, the Exiles missing both the first and second ball as Lloyd Owusu headed across goal for Robbie Wilmott to sweep home from close range.

With less than 20 minutes gone County were behind and had gone from short on confidence to being utterly bereft of any, Thompson's feeble punch almost presenting Luton a second.

The Hatters looked well drilled and exceptionally well prepared for County's gameplan, sadly seemingly revolving around long diagonal balls to Matthews and looking to work the goalkeeper from set pieces, more than playing into the visitors hands as it allowed them to break at pace.

It wasn't until the 42nd minute that Newport finally carved out a chance, Darryl Knights finding space and cutting the ball back for Griffin, who should've done far better than ballooning over from eight yards out, a miss that was almost compounded as Owusu headed over on the counter.

Harris opted against changing things at the break, but it was the Hatters who were again the aggressors, Wilmott blazing over from a long throw within a couple of minutes of the restart.

County were still only showing any sort of threat from set pieces and just past the hour Harris sacrificed Matthews' height for Yemi Odubade's pace, the Nigerian into the action within ten seconds, beating his man and claiming a penalty as Newport Stadium finally started to come back to life after being flatter than a day-old Coca-Cola for an hour.

County began attacking with greater numbers and intent, Wilmott screaming clear again on the break as a result, but Thompson did well to get out quickly and smother the opportunity, a feat he replicated almost exactly two minutes later.

However, after a dreadful opening hour, County were at least now a genuine threat with Odubade making a big impact, the Exiles furious on two occasions where they stretched the visitors and felt aggrieved not to have been awarded a penalty, particularly when substitute Luke Graham appeared to foul Rose, referee Warren Atkin in a good position and instantly waving away the protest.

With ten minutes remaining Collins' turn and shot whistled only inches wide, the Exiles at last showing the intensity required in such an important game, desperately searching for a leveller that on second half showing they would argue they deserved.

With two minutes left a Rose free-kick was headed goalbound by Collins, starting a sequence that saw Luton fail to clear and substitute Kerry Morgan rattled the post, following up to slam the ball home, only for an offside flag to deny the Exiles.

The Alamo was well and truly laying siege in injury time, Thompson becoming a striker as a brilliant Mark Tyler save denied Graeme Montgomery, County's luck well and truly out.

Or so we thought. With a minute remaining in added on time Paul Bignot went down in the area under a nothing sort of a challenge, nowhere near as strong a claim as the Exiles' previous claims for a spot-kick.

To the delight of the majority in Newport Stadium the referee pointed to the spot, Collins showing phenomenal composure to fire into the corner of the net and earn County a priceless point.

Newport County: Thompson, Bignot, Hughes, Warren, Hatswell, Knights (Montgomery 72), Rose, Miller (Morgan 77), Collins, Griffin, Matthews (Odubade 62)

Subs not used: Garner, Foley

Booked: Collins (52)

Luton Town: Tyler, Gleeson (Graham 46), Murray, Keane, G Pilkington, Wilmott, Kroca, Carden, Gnakpa, Walker (Howells 58), Owusa

Subs not used: Lawless, Crow, K Pilkington

Booked: Murray (50), Kroca (61),

Referee: Warren Akin (Crawley)

Attendance: 2,834

Argus star man: Andrew Hughes