NEWPORT County AFC are seven points from safety at the bottom of League Two after throwing away a 2-0 lead to lose in agonising fashion at Cambridge United.

Ryan Bird scored twice against his former club with two sublime finishes either side of half-time but County’s makeshift defence, who had performed admirably for an hour, couldn’t keep the hosts at bay in the end.

Substitute Barry Corr pulled one back before Leon Legge headed his side level 18 minutes from time.

And the comeback was completed in stoppage time after Mitch Rose was sent off for a foul in the box.

Joe Day saved George Maris’ poor penalty but Mark Roberts converted to earn the U’s all three points.

With Darren Jones suspended, Sid Nelson injured and Scot Bennett not yet fit to return, County were without three central defenders.

That meant a change in formation to 4-1-4-1 with Mickey Demetriou coming in at left-back and Michael Flynn wearing the captain’s armband as he partnered Mark O’Brien in central defence.

Dan Butler moved forward to a wide midfield role, with Alex Samuel earning his first start on the right flank.

Samuel had the first chance of the match after six minutes as he climbed highest to reach Butler’s cross but his header was brilliantly saved by Will Norris.

The hosts went straight down the other end and Paul Lewis headed just wide from Piero Mingoia’s corner.

After that initial flurry of activity both sides struggled to create anything but Cambridge slowly gathered momentum and started to exert more and more pressure on the makeshift Exiles defence towards the end of the first half.

O’Brien cleared a Luke Berry volley off the line and goalkeeper Joe Day saved superbly from Lewis’ header before tipping a Mark Roberts header over the bar.

Demetriou also headed off the line to deny Roberts in first half stoppage time.

But, amidst all the pressure from Cambridge, the Exiles took the lead with an expertly taken goal from Bird.

The striker nipped in front of Roberts to control Butler’s cross before rifling the ball into the bottom corner of Norris’ net on 43 minutes.

It was very much against the run of play and Westley made two changes at the break with Jazzi Barnum-Bobb and Tom Owen-Evans replacing Samuel and Josh Sheehan.

It looked like a move to tighten things up in the middle of the pitch but, far from sitting on their lead, County doubled their advantage just before the hour mark.

David Pipe got beyond Barnum-Bobb on the right flank and delivered a perfect cross for Bird to expertly volley past Norris.

The visitors were in charge but there was still a big threat at the other end.

Day had produced another spectacular save to keep out Mingoia’s header just before Bird’s second.

And half-time substitute Barry Corr pulled a goal back with a header on 64 minutes that Day got a hand to but couldn’t quite keep out.

Corr then saw a free-kick tipped over by Day before the pressure told and the hosts were level.

Mingoia, who crossed for the first goal, was again the provider as his perfect ball in from the right was headed into the bottom corner by captain Leon Legge.

Cambridge kept banging on the door but it looked as if County would escape with a point before the drama at the death.

Rose was adjudged to have fouled Berry in the act of clearing the ball on the line and was sent off after referee Trevor Kettle pointed to the spot.

Day got down well to keep out Maris’ spot-kick but Roberts was the first to the rebound to thump the ball home from close range and break County hearts.

County: Day, Pipe, O’Brien, Demetriou, Butler, Flynn, Rose, Sheehan (Barnum-Bobb, 46), Reid (Gordon, 80), Samuel (Owen-Evans, 46), Bird

Subs not used: Bittner, Parselle, Williams, Bojaj

Booked: Bird

Sent off: Rose

Referee: Trevor Kettle

Attendance: 4,175 (153 County)

Argus star man: Bird