TWO INSPIRED goalkeepers ensured it was honours even in the clash of the south west relegation battlers.

The Exiles and the Glovers will both feel they had clear cut chances to win a contest that was always tight and always cagey, but were forced to settle for a share of the spoils in a contest where the referee seemed to constantly be slowing the play, but didn’t show a card all afternoon.

John Sheridan evidently decided not to switch the system that has worked well for him in recent weeks, opting to field Andrew Hughes from the start in place of Janoi Donacien.

And it was Alex Rodman who got the nod in the four into two doesn’t go equation, with Medy Elito seemingly a certain starter, meaning two-goal hero from last week Yan Klukowski and Wales U21 midfielder Tommy O’Sullivan both dropped out of the starting XI.

You might expect a contest between two sides who have been at the wrong end of the table all term to be a cagey affair and so it proved, both sides full of hywl and endeavour, the hosts especially pressing and harrying County in possession.

Compared to the Crown Ground last weekend the infamous Rodney Parade playing surface was fit for billiards, a credit to Mark Jones and his staff and conducive to a fine game of football.

Except, with two sides scrapping against relegation, when the result means everything and the level of performance is very much secondary, it was perhaps no surprise to see both sides focusing very much on defence first.

It was the visitors who mustered the first and best chance of the first period, Harry Cornick desperately unlucky to see his glancing header bounce back off the crossbar and incredibly away from the onrushing green shirts, Newport scrambling away with a mixture of luck and good judgement.

That wasn’t a fair representation of the half however, with the Exiles working their way into the contest with some smart passing and good possession play, Mark Byrne and Elito both getting on the ball and picking their passes.

However, it was from a route one delivery by Hughes that saw County come closest to opening the scoring, his punt falling for Zak Ansah who seemed to be impeded by defender and goalkeeper in an incident that may well have yielded a penalty. The infringement was given against Ansah, one of several moments from referee Heywood that enraged the amber army.

Elito’s pace was proving key, as were breaks from Alex Rodman and Ansah and all three had chances in the first period, Elito and Rodman seeing efforts blocked by defenders and goalkeeper Chris Weale tipping Ansah’s drive around the post.

However, it was the visitors who almost stole a march just before the break, Francois Zoko heading over from point-blank range when all he needed to do was get over the ball and touch it home.

It was a huge let-off for the Exiles, who will know the familiar position the Glovers felt in at half time, namely, we made some good chances, we missed them, now the result could go either way.

That feeling wouldn’t have subsided when Bird shot wide and over from a narrow angle moments after the restart, but after super skill from Barnum-Bobb and a terrific Mark Byrne cross, Weale did fabulously to deny Scott Barrow.

The Exiles were making great inroads down the right flank with Barnum-Bobb a complete menace, but when Byrne curled their best chance of the half wide, Newport fans would have started to fear their moment was not going to come.

Scott Boden was introduced as Newport began to bombard the visitors with crosses, however, they sadly from their perspective were up against a goalkeeper in inspired form and he was Wealey, Wealey good throughout.

His double save to deny first Scot Bennett and then Boden was absolutely inspired, before Joe Day matched him at the other end in denying another Cornick header.

Newport County: Day, Barnum-Bobb, Barrow (O’Sullivan 81), Hughes, Scot Bennett, Partridge, Rodman (Klukowski 90), Elito, Byrne, Ansah (Boden 67), John-Lewis

Subs not used: Green, Holmes, Taylor, Collins

Booked: None

Yeovil: Well, Tozer, Smith, Dolan, Bird (Dickson 76), Fogden, Lacey, Cornick (Jeffers 88), Roberts, Ward, Zoko (Thomas 68)

Subs not used: Krysiak, Beck, Sheehan

Booked: None

Attendance: 3084 (460 away)

Referee: Mark Heywood

Argus star man: Jazzi Barnum-Bobb