NEWPORT County AFC built on their winning start under Graham Coughlan at Mansfield Town but had to settle for a share of the spoils against the 10-man Stags in League Two.

On the face of it, a 0-0 draw was a solid return from a ground where few leave with anything to show for their efforts but this was a missed opportunity against a team that started the evening in fourth.

It was goalless at the break after County picked up where they left off in the 1-0 win against Colchester, defending with discipline and focus.

They won their battles in the box while had the three best openings at the other end but there would have been warnings about a Stags improvement for the second half from manager Coughlan and captain Mickey Demetriou in the away changing room.

But Mansfield were reduced to 10 men in the 59th minute when James Perch was shown a second yellow card, giving the visitors a golden chance to turn a point into three.

They seemed reluctant to go for the kill, perhaps down to their position in the league, and in the end it was a solid point that not many expected them to get.

Mansfield ended last season with the second best home record in League Two and picked up where they left off to start the current campaign with four wins and two draws at Field Mill.

County had not won away against the Stags since their return to the Football League, although they did famously triumph on penalties in the 2019 play-off semi-finals.

It’s four points from six under Coughlan, whose side face another tough test at Northampton on Saturday.

South Wales Argus:

County named an unchanged XI in successive league games for the first time since James Rowberry stuck with the side that hammered Harrogate for the clash with Grimsby at the start of September.

That meant they stayed in their 3-5-2 while the bench was the same, meaning that full-back Aaron Lewis and striker Chanka Zimba had the frustration of an early workout on the pitch as travelling reserves.

Mansfield were fresh from an away loss at Crawley and Nigel Clough made three changes but midfielder Antony Hartigan, who did well on loan at County from AFC Wimbledon as part of the 2020/21 squad that suffered play-off final heartache, kept his spot.

County had a glorious chance to open the scoring in the second minute when Hartigan played a poor pass back towards his goal to put Will Evans free.

However, Saturday’s hero took a slightly heavy touch towards the corner flag rather than to goal and then shot tamely with his favoured left at goalkeeper Christy Pym.

Mansfield popped the ball around nicely but the Exiles did well to keep them away from the danger areas and it remained goalless after quarter of an hour.

County then went close again with Scot Bennett shooting just wide with a left-footed volley from the edge of the area after a Mickey Demetriou long throw was cleared to the edge of the area.

That was swiftly followed by James Waite prodding narrowly wide after getting onto a pumped ball, similar to Robbie Willmott’s goal at Field Mill last season.

County were doing an extremely good job to frustrate the home players, fans and Clough, winning the battles in the box to clear and protect Joe Day, who got to half an hour without having to make a save.

Mansfield defender Elliott Hewitt somehow got away without a rash challenge on Evans being given as a foul, let alone a caution.

Some iFollow spectators suggested it could even have been red for studs up, although it didn’t seem to be worthy of a dismissal viewed live and there weren’t huge protests from those in green.

Nonetheless, it was pretty dull and fractured, and that was a job well done by the Exiles as half-time approached.

Mansfield had their first big opening in added time but George Lapslie scuffed a shot straight at day from 18 yards and County got to their changing room to no doubt be told to repeat the trick by Coughlan.

The Exiles went close again three minutes after the restart when a Lewis free-kick from the right found Demetriou unmarked at the far post but his header was palmed away by Pym, then a dangerous Waite cross was scrambled clear as Evans slid in.

Mansfield worked their best opening after 55 minutes when good passing created a shooting opportunity for George Maris but he fired straight at Day.

The hosts were then reduced to 10 men after Perch received a second yellow for dragging down Omar Bogle as he went in on goal, although it could easily have been a straight red.

This presented County with a big chance for a notable victory – at what stage would Coughlan go for it with fresh legs?

The decision was forced upon him when Evans went down chasing a long ball with West Ham forward Thierry Nevers his replacement.

County were in need of more quality in the final third and the clock was ticking down, with Mansfield happy with that and the visitors seemingly not distraught at a point even given their numerical advantage.

Bennett skied an effort in the second of six added minutes and a whipped Lewis corner just eluded Bogle, leaving County to settle for a point.

County: Day, Norman, Clarke, Farquharson, Demetriou (captain), Adam Lewis, Bennett, Moriah-Welsh, Waite (Wildig 57), Evans (Nevers 69), Bogle.

Substitutes not used: Townsend, Drysdale, Dolan, Willmott, Collins.

Yellow: Demetriou, Moriah-Welsh.

Mansfield yellow: Perch.

Red: Perch Referee: Samuel Barrott.

Attendance: 5,624 (115 County).