NEWPORT County AFC were 11 minutes from eclipsing the Sky Blues on a wet and windy Good Friday afternoon at Rodney Parade but substitute Max Biamou fired in with his first touch to earn Coventry City a point.

Mickey Demetriou’s first-half tap-in looked to have earned County a first Football League double over Coventry since the 1953-54 season.

And the excellent Padraig Amond had the chances to seal the points in an entertaining second half but the Exiles were once again left to rue not making the most of their opportunities.

With the big boys in town, Michael Flynn opted to go with experience as 34-year-olds David Pipe and Paul Hayes were recalled in place of youngsters Josh Sheehan and Aaron Collins.

That meant a return to three at the back with Pipe and Dan Butler on the flanks and Robbie Willmott supporting Hayes and Amond up front.

And County certainly looked a lot more confident than during last week’s disappointing defeat against Crewe Alexandra.

There was an early test for the defence when Jonson Clarke-Harris’ cross from the left was headed into the side netting by Jordan Shipley.

But, though there was plenty of endeavor from both sides, there was little end product for the majority of the first half.

Amond, Demetriou and Willmott all had half chances but failed to trouble Coventry keeper Lee Burge.

At the other end the in-form Marc McNulty couldn’t take full advantage of a miscued Pipe clearance as he curled a shot well over the bar from the edge of the area.

Captain Michael Doyle was also off target before McNulty wasted another chance, lifting the ball over Joe Day and over the bar after being played in by Shipley.

And the Exiles made the visitors pay for their profligacy with a superbly-worked goal to edge ahead five minutes before the interval.

Pipe started the ball rolling from inside his own half and a rapid succession of passes from Matty Dolan, Willmott, Hayes and Amond down the left flank allowed Demetriou to sneak in and fire past Burge from close range.

It was a second goal in two games for the centre-back after his header against Crewe and it gave his side a narrow advantage at the break.

South Wales Argus:

Hayes made way for Frank Nouble at the start of the second half as County pushed forward in search of a second goal and Dolan drilled a shot just wide from 25 yards.

Mark Robins’ men still posed a threat and Demetriou was fortunate not to score at the wrong end when his sliced clearance forced Day into a smart save.

But the momentum was with the hosts and Amond went desperately close to doubling the lead with three chances in a minute.

The Irishman has not scored since the end of January and he won’t go much closer without finding the net than he did midway through the second half.

The first chance came from a tempting Dolan free-kick that was whipped into the six-yard box and Amond’s header was brilliantly pushed onto the bar by Burge.

Dominic Hyam then cleared his snapshot off the line for another corner before Amond’s header was gathered by Burge.

Nouble was giving his old club plenty to think about and Sheehan joined him from the bench in place of Willmott, who received a deserved standing ovation as he left the pitch.

A first home win since January 19 looked on the cards but Coventry’s substitutes made the difference.

After a quick counter-attack Kyel Reid picked out Biamou and his confident strike earned the visitors a point that keeps them on track for the League Two play-offs.

County: Day; White, O’Brien, Demetriou; Pipe, Dolan, Tozer, Butler; Willmott (Sheehan, 74); Hayes (Nouble, 46), Amond

Subs not used: Bittner, Reid, Collins, Jackson, McCoulsky

Booked: O’Brien

Referee: Dean Whitestone

Attendance: 4,667

Argus star man: Amond