Newport County2-2Tranmere Rovers

Tranmere Rovers were denied a second away win of the League Two season by a 90th-minute Newport County equaliser in a breathless 2-2 draw at Rodney Parade. Zane Okoro and substitute Dylan Jones struck four minutes apart to turn a one-goal deficit into a 2-1 lead, but Shaquille Gwengwe completed his own double at the death to rescue a point for the hosts.

Darrell Clarke set Rovers up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Luke McGee in goal behind Joel Senior, Bobby Faulkner, Nathan Smith and Jacob Slater. Will Vaulks and Tom Conlon anchored midfield, while Okoro, Tom Ince and Charlie Whitaker supported Joe Ironside. Newport began with the greater threat and Christian Doidge fired over inside three minutes before Gwengwe made their early pressure count.

The opening goal arrived in the 11th minute. Harrison Biggins delivered from the flank and Gwengwe met the cross with a header from the left side of the six-yard box, sending it high into the centre of McGee's goal. Newport threatened again through Kyle Cameron and Cameron Norman, while Slater was booked for a foul after 15 minutes. Rovers gradually established themselves and Vaulks became their most persistent first-half threat. His 27th-minute effort was blocked, another was saved by Jordan Wright after 36 minutes, and he sent two further attempts off target during a sustained spell of pressure before the interval. Ince also saw two shots blocked as Tranmere went in 1-0 behind despite finishing the half on the front foot.

The pattern continued after the restart. Ince and Okoro both had efforts stopped or blocked, and Wright saved from Ince again on 61 minutes. Clarke then made a decisive triple change: Jordan Turnbull replaced Slater on 65 minutes, with Jones and Sam Finley replacing Smith and Conlon a minute later. Rovers' renewed pressure produced the equaliser in the 71st minute. Senior supplied a cross and Okoro finished right-footed from the centre of the penalty area into the bottom-right corner.

Four minutes later the turnaround was complete. Jones, only nine minutes into his appearance, found space on the left side of the six-yard box and drove a right-footed finish into the bottom-left corner for 2-1. Ince was booked between the two goals, while Lee O'Connor and Patrick Brough were introduced for Whitaker and Okoro as Tranmere tried to see out the closing stages. The visitors defended a succession of Newport free kicks and McGee briefly required treatment in the 87th minute, but the lead survived only until the final minute of normal time.

Gwengwe struck again from the centre of the box, steering a right-footed shot into the top-right corner to level the scores. There was still time for McGee to save Cole Jarvis's stoppage-time effort, ensuring Rovers at least left South Wales unbeaten. The draw leaves Clarke's side eighth in League Two with five points from three matches, still unbeaten with one win and two draws. Newport sit 11th on four points after three games. For Tranmere, the frustration of surrendering a late lead was balanced by the character shown to overturn the match after trailing for an hour.