NEWPORT County AFC battled hard for a share of the spoils against promotion rivals Salford City after Josh Sheehan saw red for the first time in his career.

Both teams headed into the game at Rodney Parade with a shot at going to the top of the League Two table but it was a goalless draw. Carlisle stay top.

County won’t worry about that – this was an excellent point.

READ MORE: Post-match reaction from a furious Flynn

The Exiles were already on the back foot against a well-drilled Salford side that were applying pressure through set pieces when their playmaker was sent off after 58 minutes.

Second earlier Sheehan had been clattered without getting the decision and after losing possession he flew in wildly on Ash Hunter down the touchline.

Referee Anthony Backhouse took his time but opted for red rather than yellow. It was a decision that would have been demanded by those in amber had it been the Wales international on the receiving end.

That made it a real test of County’s promotion credentials against rivals who are sure to be in the mix for the top three.

With Mickey Demetriou and David Longe-King superb and Matty Dolan composed, both at the back and when moved to a shielding role, they held firm.

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It was an excellent defensive display in front of the watching Salford owner Gary Neville and now Michael Flynn’s squad will be tested by the suspension of Sheehan and potential absence of the equally-influential Ryan Haynes, who was forced off with a head injury early on.

However, they head into a vital period on the back of a hard-fought draw; they would have liked three points but it’s a steady start to a spell that features away games at Cheltenham and Oldham, a home fixture with current leaders Carlisle and a trip to Harrogate before February.

County made three changes to the team that took Premier League Brighton to penalties, although boss Michael Flynn stuck with his goalkeeper to give Tom King a first League Two start of the season after his FA Cup heroics.

Captain Joss Labadie returned in midfield, Ryan Taylor got the nod up front and there was a debut for loanee forward Jake Scrimshaw, the Bournemouth prospect who spent the first half of the campaign with Walsall.

Robbie Willmott didn’t feature after limping off against the Seagulls while Padraig Amond and Jamie Devitt dropped to the bench.

There was no place in the 18 for new midfielder Jack Evans, who Flynn plans to work towards full sharpness after signing from Swansea, while striker Jamie Proctor was also an absentee ahead of his loan from Rotherham expiring on Sunday.

Salford headed to Newport fresh from a late win at Scunthorpe and the Ammies, promotion favourites for many given their budget, made three changes to bring in Leeds loanee Robbie Gotts, Di'Shon Bernard and striker Tom Elliott.

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It was a cagey opening with neither side taking any risks in possession on a testing surface.

County suffered an early blow when influential wing-back Ryan Haynes was forced off after going down heavily in an aeriel challenge with Ash Hunter.

He returned only to swiftly go back to his haunches, leaving the medics to correctly take him out of action.

That forced a reshuffle with Ashley Baker coming on down the right and Liam Shephard switching flanks.

The first chance came on 22 minutes and it earned the Exiles a ticking off from the touchline.

Centre-back Matty Dolan passed loosely into touch and Salford caught the hosts napping from the throw for Ibou Touray to fire just over on the angle.

Set pieces were precious and the Ammies went close in the 30th minute only for defender Tom Clarke who thumped home a header when the teams met in the north west of England, to glance wide from a superb Hunter ball.

Salford ended the half on top, testing the defence with some dangerous balls in from star man Touray aimed at towering striker Tom Elliott, but it was goalless at the break.

County had to deal with more set pieces early in the second half but then came the Sheehan flashpoint.

That led to Flynn tinkering with the team’s shape with Dolan moved to a protection role in front of Demetriou and David Longe-King, while Kevin Ellison and Tristan Abrahams came on to add fresh legs up top.

County’s challenging afternoon got even more challenging with 10 minutes left when sub Ellison was subbed after suffering a niggle on defensive duty, Amond the man to come on.

The Exiles impressively ended on the front foot but, unlike in Salford, couldn’t strike late.

County: King, Longe-King, Dolan, Demetriou, Shephard, Haynes (Baker 16), Bennett, Labadie (captain), Sheehan, Taylor (T Abrahams 69), Scrimshaw (K Ellison 69, P Amond 82).
Substitutes: Townsend, Devitt, Windsor.
Yellow card: Bennett
Red card: Sheehan

Salford: Hladky, I Touray, Lowe, Clarke (captain), Elliott, Hunter, Bernard, Turnbull, Threlkeld, Gotts, Henderson.
Substitutes: Evans, Boyd, Burgess, Wilson, Denny, Golden, Thomas-Asante.

Referee: Anthony Backhouse