NEWPORT County AFC manager Justin Edinburgh admitted his side had ‘forgotten how to win’ after being held at home by relegation-threatened Exeter City.

The struggling Grecians took a shock lead through Harry Worley’s own goal six minutes into the second half.

But Lee Minshull rescued a point for the Exiles when he bundled in Robbie Willmott’s free-kick little more than 60 seconds later.

The draw leaves County in 14th place in League Two, seven points off the top-seven with two games in hand and seven points above the bottom two with a game in hand.

“I think we needed to get a result. It’s been a testing time of late and it was a nervous performance from us,” said the Exiles boss.

“But credit to the players; they didn’t get despondent and we got back on level terms very quickly.

“It wasn’t the best game of football you’re going to see but in terms of effort and endeavour I can’t fault my players.

“Maybe we have forgotten how to win,” he added.

“Confidence plays a major part in football and we’re slightly lacking that at the moment.

“We’ve stepped up a level and it’s not as easy as you think but I think that point will do us good.

“It gives us a platform to build on. We don’t like losing but the results went for us yesterday and I’m a positive guy.”

Edinburgh hit out at the small number of online critics who have voiced their displeasure with the club’s run of one win in 14 games and praised the 3,000 who were at Rodney Parade yesterday.

“I have no interest in what people have to say online,” he said. “If those people on messageboards know so much then why aren’t they involved in football?

“It’s easy to criticise when you’re losing but you have to get behind the team and the crowd today did that.

“They drove us on and we’re grateful for that.”

Defender Ismail Yakubu is a doubt for Wednesday’s home clash with Dagenham & Redbridge after being forced off with a recurrence of his thigh injury against the Grecians but Tom Naylor will be back from his one-game ban.

“Ismail wasn’t 100 per cent fit but with Tom Naylor suspended, Byron Anthony picking up a kidney infection in the week and Andy Sandell still struggling with a hamstring injury we were light on numbers,” explained Edinburgh, who was forced to deploy Aaron Holloway at the back.

“We’re having a tough time at the minute but the season will make us a lot stronger that we were.

“We’ve got to continue to work hard and our luck will change.”