MX23RW : Wednesday, January 30 12:27:13
Jan 26, 2019 at 3pm UK at ​Riverside Stadium
Attendance: 15,794
Middlesbrough
1-1
NewportNewport County
Ayala (51')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Dolan (90')

Result: Dolan nets late equaliser as Newport earn Middlesbrough replay

Result: Dolan nets late equaliser as Newport earn Middlesbrough replay
© Reuters
Daniel Ayala had headed the hosts ahead in the 51st minute.

Substitute Matthew Dolan snatched a dramatic injury-time equaliser as League Two Newport kept their FA Cup dream alive with a 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.

Daniel Ayala's 51st-minute header looked set to send Tony Pulis' men through to the fifth round as the visitors were guilty of missing a succession of late chances.

But the Exiles' persistence paid off in dramatic fashion as Boro failed to clear a Josh Sheehan cross and Dolan – who started his career at Middlesbrough  – poked the equaliser past Darren Randolph.

It was everything Newport deserved after a bright performance which saw Padraig Amond come close in the first minute and Antoine Semenyo missed two glorious opportunities to pull level.

Newport-born Pulis was proved right to be wary as he named a strong team which included a debut for John Obi Mikel and a rare recall for Stewart Downing despite an ongoing contract wrangle.

Evidently undaunted by the occasion, the visitors – who had seen off Premier League Leicester in the previous round –  started well and Amond almost gave them a dream lead inside the first minute.

The visitors continued to give as good as they got although Boro striker Britt Assombalonga came close with a couple of early chances.

Aden Flint headed over from a Lewis Wing free-kick as Boro settled, but Newport looked far from unnerved as Semenyo skied a good chance over the bar on the half-hour.

Wing came closest to breaking the first half deadlock three minutes later, when his free-kick struck the Newport wall and his second effort clattered the top of visiting keeper Nick Townsend's bar.

Driving rain greeted the teams at the start of the second half but Boro's spirit was far from dampened, with Assombalonga coming close again before Ayala put his side in front.

Wing sent in a corner from the Boro left and Ayala rose above the static Exiles rearguard to head home his second goal of the season.

Mikel was withdrawn on the hour to a standing ovation, before Ashley Fletcher came close to extending Boro's lead with a casual-looking finish which was blocked in the box.

Wing came closer for Boro in the 71st minute, drilling a low effort which was well saved by Townsend, only in the team because County's regular number one, Joe Day, is with his wife who is due to give birth to twins.

Townsend produced another fine finger-tip save to stop a deflected effort from George Saville, but despite Boro's creeping domination, Newport would still miss two glorious chances to earn a replay.

Semenyo flashed a free header inches wide from a Dan Butler cross and in the 85th minute and would miss an even better chance before Dolan sparked jubilation among the sizeable visiting support.

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Michael Flynn in charge of Newport County on December 1, 2018
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds29176649311857
2Norwich CityNorwich29159554381654
3Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd29156848311751
4West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom28148657352250
5Middlesbrough281211531201147
6Derby CountyDerby2813784035546
7Bristol City2812883529644
8Blackburn RoversBlackburn29111084041-143
9Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest29101274233942
10Aston Villa29101275346742
11Swansea CitySwansea29118104035541
12Birmingham CityBirmingham2991374336740
13Hull City29117114138340
14Queens Park RangersQPR28116113439-539
15Stoke CityStoke2991193337-438
16Preston North EndPreston2999114545036
17Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds2898113345-1235
18Brentford28810104339434
19Millwall2878133444-1029
20Wigan AthleticWigan2985162944-1529
21Rotherham UnitedRotherham29510142848-2025
22Reading2959153244-1224
23Bolton WanderersBolton2958161943-2423
24Ipswich TownIpswich2939172350-2718

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