Newport County 3-3 Walsall - Report
Freddie Draper's hat-trick saw Walsall come from behind three times to rescue a 3-3 draw against Newport County at Rodney Parade.
Bryn Morris opened the scoring for Newport after just four minutes, before Draper scored his first of the night to equalise.
Will Evans reached double figures for the campaign on the cusp of half-time only for Draper to respond again after the interval.
Morris looked to have won the contest in the 66th minute until Draper scored a dramatic equaliser deep into second half stoppage time.
The Saddlers have now scored hat-tricks in back-to-back games after Isaac Hutchinson's treble in the 4-1 victory over Gillingham last time out.
Walsall travelled to Wales just four points adrift of the play-offs, whilst Newport sat only four points clear of the League Two drop zone.
Nonetheless, it was the hosts that drew first blood after Walsall fell behind for the ninth time this season after just four minutes.
Mat Sadler named the same starting XI that crushed Gillingham, although Walsall were handed an early setback when ex-Saddlers loanee Morris came back to haunt his former club.
Evans and Bogle combined effectively in the final third, and the latter spotted Morris in a pocket of space. Walsall failed to close Morris down and the midfielder was afforded space to pick his spot and rifle a rocket into the roof of the net from outside the box.
Draper led the revival and forced an unconventional save from Maxted after spinning his marker and sending a swerving effort towards the target.
And the Walsall forward would be celebrating his sixth goal of the campaign just moments later. Knowles was an important attacking outlet for the Saddlers during the first half and was released down the right by Ross Tierney.
Knowles drilled a low and inviting cross into the feet of Draper and his finish dribbled desperately underneath the hapless Maxted to level the contest.
The Saddlers had the better of the play for the majority of the first half, but failed to carve out many clear cut opportunities.
Oisin McEntee sent a stooping header wide of the near post from Ryan Stirk's corner and Harry Williams could only draw a comfortable stop from Maxted with a tame effort from speculative range.
Donervon Daniels produced a heroic block to thwart Evans' finish inside the box, but was unable to prevent the Newport winger from restoring the hosts' lead, and becoming the division's top scorer in the process.
Evans struck the ball from a similar range to Morris' opener deep into second half stoppage time and powered a delightful strike into the far top corner.
Sadler introduced Brandon Comley for McEntee at the start of the second half, and the substitution immediately brought a calmness in the centre of the park.
Walsall equalised for the second time eight minutes after the restart, as Draper bagged his brace and his seventh of the season.
Joe Riley broke inside from the right and played a clever forward pass for Draper. The forward raced onto it with a great turn of pace and won the battle of wits with Maxted by applying a composed finish into the far bottom corner.
Newport found the net for a third time midway into the second period, as Morris scored his second of the night.
Aaron Wildig drove down the right after running onto a pass from Lewis Payne. He drilled a low ball into the penalty area, which evaded Riley, and found Morris, who ghosted in at the back post to smash a confident effort home.
Sadler threw on Danny Johnson and Jamille Matt as Walsall went in desperate search of an equaliser. Johnson weaved a pass into the path of Hutchinson and Maxted emerged to foil him expertly at his feet.
Walsall continued to knock at the door with Knowles firing his downward volley into the ground and onto the roof of the net, before Stirk stung the palms of Maxted from range.
And Draper completed his treble in dramatic style to equalise at the death. Daniels kept the attack alive after the initial corner was half cleared, and carried the ball down the left. His low cross found Draper inside the box to stab the ball into the net and send the away supporters into raptures.
TEAMS
Newport (4-2-3-1): Maxted, Payne (Rai 86), Delaney, Drysdale, McLoughlin; Baker (Seberry 72), Bennett; Wildig, (Bondswell 86) Morris, Evans (Thomas 90 +4); Bogle.
Subs not used: Townsend, Waite, Wood.
Walsall (4-2-3-1): Evans; Riley (Matt 82), Williams, Daniels, Allen (Gordon 73); McEntee (Comley 46), Stirk; Knowles, Tierney (Johnson 69), Hutchinson; Draper.
Subs not used: Smith, Griffiths, James-Taylor.
Referee: Sunny Singh Gill
Attendance: 3,896 (364)
