Walsall 1-1 Newport: Cameron Norman levels to deny Michael Flynn's Saddlers

Walsall's Isaac Hutchinson scored his first league goal since October

Cameron Norman returned to haunt his old club Walsall by snatching a draw for Newport County at Bescot.

The wing-back, who left Walsall on a free transfer in June 2021, grabbed his second goal this month when he headed home Adam Lewis's 78th-minute corner.

It cancelled out Isaac Hutchinson's opener - his fourth of the season, but his first in the league since October.

Newport's second straight draw denied ex-boss Michael Flynn a first Saddlers league win since New Year's Day.

Walsall should have taken the lead through Joe Low, who could not beat goalkeeper Nick Townsend from close range. But Hutchinson thumped then home a left-foot shot from the edge of the box on 32 minutes.

It was a rare bit of quality in a feisty and scrappy first half, following which County boss Graham Coughlan made four interval changes.

That paid off when Norman was left free at the far post to head home from only Newport's second corner.

Cameron Norman left Walsall for Newport on a free transfer in June 2021

Walsall boss Michael Flynn:

"We haven't killed teams off when we have had the opportunities and we are getting punished. It is a tough, gruelling schedule and we are looking a little bit out on our feet because the boys are giving everything.

"If we get a second goal, the game's done. We controlled the game for 65 minutes quite comfortably, but we lost a lot through sloppy passing and taking too many touches.

"The one thing I can't fault is their commitment and work-rate. That is unbelievable. We just need to channel it a little bit better, so we create more and give our strikers some ammunition."

Newport County manager Graham Coughlan:

"I didn't like what I saw in the first half. If I was allowed 11 changes, I would have probably made 11 to be honest. We were dead and buried. We were flat and there was no energy about us.

"I didn't think we were ourselves. We didn't perform anywhere near the standards that we've set, anywhere near our expectations. We didn't perform well enough to win a game of football.

"But I keep saying about the character and resilience of this group of boys. They dig themselves out and hats off to them."