Cambridge 1-1 Newport

An Andy Sandell penalty five minutes from time earned Newport County a precious point against Cambridge.

United took the lead when Josh Dawkin beat Newport keeper Glyn Thompson from a tight angle.

Newport thought they had equalised soon after through Elliott Buchanan, but the effort was ruled out for offside.

Just as the hosts looked like holding on for all three points, U's defender Kevin Roberts handled the ball in the area and Sandell fired home.

The FA Trophy finalists have gone up a place to 18th and are now two points off the relegation zone.

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Cambridge United manager Jez George told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire:

"We showed the right level of desire, commitment and work ethic tonight.

"The tempo of the game was much quicker. Credit to Newport, they don't look like a team down the bottom, except that they were committed into every challenge and it became a bit of a blood-and-thunder game. It was a bit of a cup tie, I thought.

"The little details were missing on a couple of occasions when we opened them up and should have scored the second goal - we missed a good chance first half, a couple second half, (and had) a bit of poor luck when it hit the inside of the post - but I thought it was a good reaction to Saturday."

Newport County manager Justin Edinburgh said:

"I think we deserved a point, I'm not sure if we did enough to win the game.

"I was disappointed with the goal we conceded but I thought the response in the second-half and the tempo was played was what I expected in the first-half.

"But on reflection I would have settled for a point before the game."

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