Newport goalkeeper Tom King scored directly from a goal kick before promotion rivals Cheltenham hit back to earn a 1-1 draw at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium.

Matty Blair’s equaliser for the home side in first-half stoppage time denied Newport the chance to move back to the top of League Two and kept Michael Duff’s Robins in touch with the frontrunners.

Newport had taken the lead in bizarre circumstances as King’s wind-assisted kick bounced on the edge of the Cheltenham box before looping over a helpless Josh Griffiths in the Robins goal.

Cheltenham controlled much of the first period, but King made fine saves to keep out Alfie May after George Lloyd’s touch and he also pushed away a powerful strike from Finn Azaz.

Jake Scrimshaw fired one just over for Newport, but Blair struck in the fifth minute of added time, racing onto May’s pass and finding the bottom left corner, despite King getting a hand to it.

Neither goalkeeper was seriously tested in the second period and both sides had to settle for a point, with Cheltenham’s winless run now at seven and Newport’s six.