AFC Wimbledon dropped out of the League Two play-off places after a 96th-minute penalty from Shane McLoughlin rescued a point for Newport County.

The hosts were 2-0 up within 20 minutes as Newport failed to deal with two James Tilley free-kicks.

Midfielder Alistair Smith got the first from six yards after a John-Joe O'Toole knockdown and Matty Stevens nodded in a second after County goalkeeper Nick Townsend failed to deal with Tilley's delivery.

Winger Michael Spellman brought the visitors back into the game on 26 minutes with a neat finish under Wimbledon goalkeeper Owen Goodman for his first Newport goal.

Substitute Luke Jephcott should have brought County level on 79 minutes as he headed past the near post while unmarked from eight yards, but there was more late drama.

County substitute Kyle Jameson was fouled by Huseyin Biler in the fifth minute of five added minutes, but there was time for McLoughlin to send Owen Goodman the wrong way to earn his side a point.

Wimbledon manager Johnny Jackson received a red card from referee Lee Swabey for his protests after the penalty award as his side drop to eighth.

Newport head coach Nelson Jardim:

"We knew this was one of the games that was going to be difficult. The last two away games, Notts County and then coming here, that's two good points.

"When you keep playing our style and our way, in the end that pays off and it was a well-deserved point.

"It was just a pity we didn’t control as well as we should the set-plays. That's something we have been doing well but didn’t do as well today, but some credit to the opposition who work hard on set-plays and do very well.

"Not everything was perfect, but I think it's a positive feeling coming to this place, one of the teams who surely are going to be pushing promotion, and I think doing what we did shows we are in a good way."

https://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk/news/2023/september/dons-pegged-back-after-tilley-double/
https://www.newport-county.co.uk/news/report-afc-wimbledon-2-2-newport-county

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BRKgLB25cQ

[ --- www.bbc.co.uk]