Salford City 2-1 Newport County

Harrison Biggins spotted Will Norris off his line in the 71st minute and lobbed him from inside the Newport County half, a goal Salford City's own report measured at 65 yards and Salford's manager at 60 metres. It was County's second shot on target all night, and for twelve minutes it was enough. Then Taylor Allen cut in from the right and curled an equaliser inside the far post on 83, and in the 90th minute the substitute Kelly N'Mai met Luke Molyneux's cross with a volley at the near post. Salford City, bottom three and pointless when the night began, had a first win. County had a second defeat in four.

The result followed the pattern of the hour before the goal. Ryan Graydon forced Jordan Wright into a near-post save inside five minutes, Joe Thomas cleared Abraham Odoh's one-on-one off the line, and Joe Powell's free-kick from 25 yards came back off the inside of the post a minute before half-time. Wright saved from Macaulay Langstaff and, after Biggins had scored, from Will Aimson's header at six yards. County's best chance before the goal fell to Alfie Merritt, who volleyed over an empty net on 68 minutes after Norris misjudged a lofted free-kick. Salford City had 32 attempts to County's four and 74 per cent of the ball, and only seven of the 32 were on target.

What Mullins said

"Yes, it was absolutely fantastic. I think he's been threatening that for a couple of weeks now," Hayden Mullins said of the Biggins goal. "It's just a shame that we couldn't top the evening off with some kind of result." On the winner: "Conceding in the 90th minute is always tough." The travelling support got a word: "It was absolutely fantastic and we could hear them. Just glad we could give them something to shout about really." Peter Cklamovski, in his first win as Salford's manager, called the Biggins strike "remarkable".

Mullins made three changes from the bench: Matt Dibley-Dias for Yahya Bamba on 66 minutes, Kai Evans for Cameron Evans on 72, Dean Sassi for Merritt on 84. Joe Thomas was booked on 14 minutes for pulling back Molyneux, Merritt on 79 and Cameron Norman on 86; Graydon was Salford's one caution. Matthew Russell refereed. On the same deadline day, Tanatswa Nyakuhwa returned to County on a season-long loan from Cardiff City.

After four league games County have scored nine, the third-highest total in League Two, and conceded nine, which only Bristol Rovers have bettered the wrong way. Three of the four have turned late: the 2-2 with Tranmere, the 3-5 at Bristol Rovers and now Salford. County are 14th on four points, Salford City 20th on three. Northampton Town, who have conceded three all season, are next, away on Saturday.