NEWPORT County manager Michael Flynn was delighted with his side’s reaction to their midweek misery at Mansfield Town as they halted a run of three straight defeats in League Two to earn a point against automatic promotion candidates Notts County.

Flynn made just three changes to the starting XI from Tuesday’s 5-0 humbling at the One Call Stadium but his team were unrecognisable.

They failed to create many clear-cut chances but the decision to recall Mark O’Brien in a three-man central defence was rewarded with a first clean sheet since before Christmas.

“It was a great reaction from the players,” said the manager.

“I knew I’d get one and it was a game I thought we edged but, let’s be honest, it wasn’t a great spectacle.

“It was a battling performance and that’s something we didn’t do on Tuesday so I’m very pleased with the reaction from the players.

“And it’s our first clean sheet for a while so I’m delighted with that.”

The point means the Exiles stay in 12th position in the table but defeat for Lincoln City means Flynn’s men are now six points off the top seven with 13 games left to play.