Late heartbreak for Newport in 1-1 draw at Sutton

Tope Fadahunsi came off the bench to earn Sutton a well-deserved 1-1 draw against Newport.

Shane McLoughlin had fired the visitors ahead with 10 minutes to go before Fadahunsi’s dramatic 90th-minute effort secured a share of the spoils for the League Two strugglers at Gander Green Lane.

Sutton produced the two best moves of the first half, with Lee Angol heading just wide from a Dominic Gape cross and Dion Pereira sending a looping header against the post after Omari Patrick and Rob Milsom had combined on the left.

For Newport, Seb Palmer-Houlden saw a header scrambled just wide.

Palmer-Houlden went close again early in the second half when his shot was well saved by a diving Dean Bouzanis.

Newport goalkeeper Nick Townsend was called into action as he saved a low shot from Pereira, who also saw an effort deflected just wide and had the ball in the net with a curling effort only for Aiden O’Brien to be ruled offside.

Townsend scrambled wide a deflected Josh Coley shot but with 10 minutes left Will Evans and James Waite set up McLoughlin to power a shot past Bouzanis.

Harry Beautyman almost replied immediately with a header that was well saved by Townsend, and Milsom had the ball in the net only for the referee to blow for some pushing.

The equaliser that Sutton deserved came when Fadahunsi turned in Milsom’s corner from close range.