NEWPORT COUNTY 3, OLDHAM ATHLETIC 3
Oldham Athletic came agonisingly close to registering a win at Newport County which would have lifted them out of Sky Bet League Two’s relegation places.
There was heartbreak as Mickey Demetriou’s last-minute goal for The Exiles meant Latics remain in the bottom two.
However, Latics remain unbeaten in the four matches since John Sheridan became head coach, and in that time have picked up eight points.
From being effectively eight points adrift and down and out, Latics have given themselves hope and belief of a great escape as they are only two points from safety with a game in hand on third-bottom Carlisle United.
Latics twice battled from behind and, with 10 men after Dylan Bahamboula’s sending off, even went ahead with the second goal of the game from substitute Mike Fondop.
But it is a measure of the improvement under Sheridan that Latics were disappointed with only one point from their visit to Rodney Parade to play a side in the promotion play-off places.
Newport took the lead after 14 minutes, a left-wing cross from Ryan Haynes which flew straight into the net.
Goalkeeper Danny Rogers got down well to save from Scot Bennett while dangerman Dom Telford found space in the area before blazing over.
Latics responded well and the equaliser after 28 minutes followed a fabulous move. Having taken an exquisite pass from Bahamboula in his stride, Davis Keillor-Dunn cut in from the right before sending a low, angled finish past goalkeeper Nick Townsend.
The hosts continued to present a threat, Rogers producing a parrying save from Matty Dolan before Finn Azaz shot wide from the edge of the box.
Newport’s biggest threat came from Dom Telford and having earlier been denied by Rogers, he underlined his status as one of the more dangerous strikers in League Two by restoring the hosts’ lead five minutes before the interval with a shot from just inside the area for his 23rd goal of the season.
But there has been renewed confidence about Latics in recent weeks and having started the second half with intent, they battled back again.
Jordan Clarke flashed a shot over while Bahambula was denied by Townsend. From the resulting corner, Nicky Adams’ pinpoint delivery was met by a bullet header from Fondop past Townsend.
At that stage, the visitors were in the ascendancy, but in keeping with an eventful encounter, Newport then came on strong. Latics’ cause appeared to have been dealt a massive blow when Bahamboula was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Dolan which was deemed out of control.
Sheridan’s side was undeterred and with seven minutes left, Fondop put Latics ahead, showing his predatory instinct to convert Sam Hart’s cross from the left.
Latics would have been good value for the victory until Demetriou equalised in the final minute to dash hopes of returning from South Wales with three points.
Oldham Athletic: Rogers, Clarke, Hart, McGahey, Piergianni, Adams (Stobbs 78), Whelan, Keillor-Dunn, Bahamboula, Missilou, Luamba (Fondop 45). Subs (unused): Leutwiler, Hunt, Couto, Vaughan.
Goals: Haynes (14), Telford (40), Demetriou (82) for Newport. Keillor-Dunn (28), Fondop (49, 82) for Oldham Athletic.
Attendance: 3,901 (342 visitors).