Newport County lost 3-2 to Harrogate Town in a ding-dong battle on Tuesday night at Rodney Parade with Omar Bogle netting twice for the Exiles.
We made the perfect start when Omar Bogle expertly volleyed into the bottom corner, only for the visitors to respond with two quickfire goals courtesy of Sam Folarin and George Thomson.
Bogle got his second, and fifth this season against Harrogate, to level it once more with the clock ticking down, but Luke Armstrong poked home for 3-2 just minutes after.
County scored with the first chance of the game with just two minutes gone. Will Evans found space out wide after a brilliant sweeping pass from Scot Bennett, before delivering an excellent cross with his left foot.
Bogle, who has been in red hot form, met it with a clean side footed volley that easily beat goalkeeper Mark Oxley and nestled in the corner.
Newport looked to double their lead but were caught on the counter attack moments later. A long ball forward was cleared straight to Folarin, who after steadying himself sent a volley into the bottom right with precision and accuracy.
Thomson completed the turnaround on 9 minutes with a swift flowing move. Folarin cut onto left to whip a firm low cross to the back post and there was Thomson, who pounced on some poor marking to score a tap in.
We looked to respond in the 17th minute and Bogle nearly helped himself to another, lurking in behind the last line of defence after a looped ball from Bennett, unfortunately though, it was well cleared.
Evans got on the end of a good cross from Bennett moments later with County pushing to level the scores once again, but his header from the left-hand side of the area was well wide.
Evans threaded a good through ball to Calum Kavanagh on 25 minutes, with the frontman facing up his man before finding James Waite on the edge, sadly for the Exiles, though, his shot dribbled just wide of the left-hand post.
Harry Charsley nearly marked his Rodney Parade return with a brilliant goal on the half-hour mark, striding forward before letting fly from way out. Oxley got down with a strong left arm, however, and diverted a fierce shot away from danger.
Tom Eastman went close for Harrogate after meeting a free kick unmarked in the County area. Sadly for him, though, he could not find the target from George Thomson’s delivery and the chance was missed.
Priestley Farquharson has been an attacking threat all season from centre-back and took aim early in the second half. Charsley did well to dig out a cross and Farquharson powered a header at goal from the penalty spot, but it sailed over the bar.
Kavanagh had a shot from the edge of the area on 53 minutes, but after trapping a ball that was cleared by Harrogate, he got under his effort and it went well over.
Evans went for goal after a ball fell to him in the area on the hour mark, with Kavanagh causing problems for the backlone, but Toby Sims did well to block the ball with a sliding challenge.
Farquharson saw another header miss the target in the 66th minute, with the Exiles fans doing their best to encourage their team, but the effort flew well wide.
Evans had Newport’s best chance of the second half just before the 70-minute mark, meeting Bogle’s pick-out with a close range header that should have hit the target.
Mickey Demetriou then had a header clawed off the line from the Harrogate ‘keeper with 15 minutes to go, after getting to a brilliant cross from James Waite. His header was into the ground but palmed away by Oxley.
Up the other end Harrogate had a rare chance, with Matty Foulds crossing for Eastman, whose header was dealt with by Demetriou.
Bogle got a deserved equaliser for County ten minutes from time, bringing down Charlie McNeill's lobbed pass with great composure before smashing a side-footed volley past Oxley to level it once more.
Armstrong beat Joe Day with a poacher's goal on 83 minutes, sliding in on the six-yard line to put his side ahead once more.
Norman spurned a golden chance on 88 minutes to make it 3-3, sliding a hard low shot toward the far corner. The 'keeper was helpless, but the ball skidded wide.
Newport County XI: Day (GK), Norman, Baker, Farquharson, Demetriou (c), Evans, Bennett (Lewis, 45’), Charsley (McNeill, 76’), Waite, Bogle, Kavanagh.
Subs not used: Townsend (GK), Bowen, Moriah-Welsh, Rai.
Harrogate Town XI: Oxley (GK), Sims (Sutton, 65’), O’Connor, Eastman, Foulds, Falkingham, Burrell, Thomson, Olaigbe, Folarin (Daly, 74’), Armstrong.
Subs not used: Jameson, Mattock, Angus, Muldoon, McArdle.
Referee: Neil Hair
Assistant referee: Justin Amey
Assistant referee: Ravel Cheosiaua
Fourth official: Alan Cresswell