Newport County 1-1 Wrexham

By David Dulin
BBC Sport at Spytty Park

Wrexham's Neil Ashton is shown a red card for fouling Charlie Henry

Substitute Darryl Knights struck in the last minute as Newport fought back to hold 10-man Wrexham in a rain-soaked Welsh derby at Spytty Park.

Andy Morrell thought he had done enough with his first-half strike which took a huge deflection to find the net.

But Wrexham had Neil Ashton sent off for fouling Charlie Henry in the box early in the second half.

Craig Reid hit the bar from the spot, but County made it six games unbeaten when Knights struck from close range.

They also protected their unbeaten home start to the season, while Wrexham are now without defeat in four.

The pressure was on the visitors at the start as County started strongly and Reid had an early chance but dragged his shot across the face of goal.

The home side then almost capitalised on a Frank Sinclair back-pass which Kerry Morgan raced onto and charged down keeper Scott Shearer's clearance.

But Wrexham broke the deadlock on 23 minutes with their first chance of the game.

Curtis Obeng's long throw was only partially cleared and Morrell fired home with the help of a huge deflection.

From then on Wrexham looked in control and Dean Keates was denied from a free-kick by Glyn Thompson after the County keeper handled outside the box.

But County responded after the break and should have been level three minutes in.

Henry burst into the Wrexham penalty area only to be bundled over by Ashton who was shown a straight red card, but Reid slipped as he took his spot-kick, sending it against the bar.

Newport pressed for a goal and on 72 minutes, Shearer was forced to dive low to his left to push Eddie Odihambo's shot around the post.

Moments later, substitute Sam Foley saw a volley from just inside the box tipped over the by Shearer.

But their persistence paid off when Knights smashed home in the closing stages to claim a share of the spoils.

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Newport County: Thompson, Bignot, Warren, Todd, Odhiambo, Collins, Rose, Henry (Knights 78), Morgan (Foley 66), Matthews (Taggart 78), Reid.
Subs Not Used: Garner, Rogers.

Goals: Knights 89.

Wrexham: Shearer, Obeng, Ashton, Sinclair, Blackburn, Harris, Keates, Smith, Gall, Knight-Percival, Morrell (Mangan 74).
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Brown, Tolley, Walker.

Sent Off: Ashton (48).

Booked: Knight-Percival, Smith.

Goals: Morrell 23.

Att: 3,206

Ref: S Martin (Staffordshire).