FOOTBALL is a cruel game at times and Newport County AFC manager Warren Feeney will be cursing his luck after his side were beaten by an 88th-minute penalty at Grimsby Town.

The under-fire Exiles boss gave his players a chance to redeem themselves, naming an unchanged starting XI from Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat to Cambridge United.

And he will be delighted by the way they responded in what was an enthralling game.

But when your luck is out the game has a habit of slapping you in the face and referee Ben Toner pointed to the spot after spotting a foul by Dan Butler two minutes from time.

Omar Bogle slammed in his ninth goal of the season to send County to the bottom of League Two and, however unjust the defeat, heap more pressure on Feeney.

It was the first visit to Blundell Park since April 2013 when Ismail Yakubu headed the only goal in the Conference play-off semi-final first leg as Justin Edinburgh’s men powered towards their eventual Wembley win over Wrexham.

And Feeney’s men looked capable of repeating that result throughout – defending doggedly and posing a real threat on the break.

The newly-promoted Mariners dominated possession and forced seven corners to one in the first period and really should have taken the lead on 17 minutes.

Left-back Danny Andrew was brilliantly released and whipped in a cross for Kayden Jackson who looked certain to score but got his feet in a muddle and somehow sliced his effort wide from six yards out.

Main man Bogle was well shackled but teammate Dominic Vose impressed throughout and he was denied by a flying Joe Day save on 36 minutes.

The back four – Paul Bignot, Scot Bennett, Kyle Cameron and Dan Butler – gave everything to keep out the hosts.

And in front of them Ben Tozer was doing a sterling job of tracking back to help out.

The whole team looked as if they were fighting for their manager and in attack there were chances too.

On the flanks Reece Grego-Cox and Sean Rigg caused problems with their pace and up front Jon Parkin and Rhys Healey were a real handful for former Wales centre-back Danny Collins.

Parkin missed the visitors’ best chance of the first half, heading just wide from a Grego-Cox cross, and Rigg fired into the side netting after delaying his shot at the far post.

The second half started in much the same vein with the hosts applying most of the pressure but the best opportunities were County’s.

Mark Randall’s free-kick was tipped round the post by James McKeown and shortly afterwards the Grimsby goalkeeper had to rely on Luke Summerfield to hack Parkin’s bullet header off the line.

But there was still danger for the Exiles.

Bogle finally had his chance midway through the second period but he was brilliantly denied by Day from close range.

And Summerfield then clipped the post with a 30-yard belter as both teams went all out for the three points.

Feeney replaced the impressive Healey with Marlon Jackson for the final 20 minutes but it was Parkin who went closest to netting the winner before the dramatic finale.

His clever header from Randall’s corner was arrowing towards the top corner but McKeown did superbly to palm it away.

It was one of those games that neither side deserved to lose but, in the end, County somehow did.

County: Day, Butler, Cameron, Bennett, Bignot, Rigg, Tozer, Randall, Grego-Cox (Myrie-Williams, 89), Healey (Jackson, 69), Parkin

Subs not used: Barnum-Bobb, Jones, Compton, Sheehan, Bittner

Booked: Bennett, Parkin, Tozer

Referee: Ben Toner

Attendance: 4,296 (39 County)

Argus star man: Joe Day