Newport County and Forest Green played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at Rodney Parade on Tuesday night.
Newport could not have wished for a better start, with Finn Azaz slotting County into an early third-minute lead after Rob Street's low ball in from the right of the box.
Forest Green levelled matters early in the second half through Jack Aitchison and Newport were a man light for the final 5 minutes due to James Clarke's red card for two yellow card challenges.
Azaz's goal wasn't even the first shot of the game, with Street and Telford combining before the latter teed up Cameron Norman to strike wide before we had even had a minute of play at Rodney Parade.
Dom Bernard had FGR's first shot at goal, but his attempt from a tight angle on the left of the box was deflected wide and into the side netting and the corner came to nothing.
Scot Bennett knocked an effort wide on 20 minutes, with County having a golden chance to double their lead a minute later.
Street won the ball high up the pitch before playing in Azaz who was brilliantly denied by FGR keeper Luke McGee in a one-on-one opportunity for the Exiles.
County would again have two shots in a minute when, first, Mickey Demetriou struck narrowly wide of the right-hand post with an ambitious effort from distance.
Seconds later, another County counter-press led to Telford having a shot from an acute angle parried behind by McGee.
The half closed with ex-Exile Jamille Matt heading over the bar for FGR from inside the six-yard box.
Forest Green carried on from where they left off in the first half, with the league leaders controlling the early stages of the second half.
Mat Stevens had a shot deflected wide two minutes after the restart and Aitchison fired over the bar from the edge of the box soon after.
Aitchison made up for that miss a minute later though by squeezing in the leveller from a tight angle on the left of the County box.
Nick Townsend was needed to make an impressive save to deny Aitchison from distance, with the County stopper doing well to tip the effort over the bar.
County could have won the game in the closing stages too but Street struck narrowly wide from 25 yards.
Clarke was then sent off for the second of his two bookable offences but County held on for a well-earned point against the league leaders.
Newport County: Nick Townsend, Cameron Norman, James Clarke, Mickey Demetriou (C), Aaron Lewis, Scot Bennett, Jake Cain, Finn Azaz, Oliver Cooper (James Waite '76), Rob Street (Alex Fisher '90), Dom Telford (Ryan Haynes '85)
Subs not used: Joe Day, Matt Dolan, Timmy Abraham, Lewis Collins
Forest Green: Luke McGee, Kane Wilson, Dominic Bernard, Dan Sweeney, Ebou Adams (Josh March '90), Mat Stevens, Jack Aitchison (Ben Stevenson '74), Nicky Cadden, Jamille Matt (C), Jordan Moore-Taylor, Udoka Godwin-Malife
Subs not used: Lewis Thomas, Baily Cargill, Regan Hendry, Sadou Diallo, Kasey McAteer, Josh March