Sam Hoskins denies Newport at the death

Sam Hoskins struck two minutes into stoppage time to rescue a 1-1 draw for promotion-chasing Northampton against Newport.

The Exiles looked to have claimed the win thanks to Omar Bogle’s second-minute strike, with Graham Coughlan’s side the better team for most of the match.

But Town top-scorer Hoskins struck late on to salvage a point for the Cobblers.

Newport got off to a dream start as they took the lead after just one minute and 44 seconds.

A long throw from the right by Mickey Demetriou was flicked on by Priestley Farquharson and the unmarked Bogle was on hand to prod home from close range.

Northampton were really struggling and were indebted to Lee Burge for keeping them in the contest, with the goalkeeper making four outstanding stops in five minutes midway through the first half to keep it at 1-0.

He dived full length to his right to tip a Demetriou effort wide, produced a stunning double stop to deny Bogle and Nathan Moriah-Welsh on the follow-up, and then denied Bogle again, touching the striker’s snapshot on to the post.

Cobblers boss Jon Brady made three changes at half-time to try and fire up his off-colour side, but they had little impact – the home team’s only chance in the opening half-hour of the second half falling to Hoskins, who shot straight at Joe Day.

Newport then comfortably held their hosts at bay until two minutes into added time when Hoskins latched on to an Akin Odimayo knock down and drilled a volley past Day and into the bottom corner.