NEWPORT County AFC maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a battling 0-0 draw at Walsall.

County’s first visit to Bescot Stadium didn’t produce a classic but the sizable travelling crowd saw their side earn a second point on the road and record a third successive clean sheet in League Two.

The draw also extended the club record to 14 matches without defeat for Michael Flynn’s men, who host new leaders Crewe Alexandra at Rodney Parade at the weekend.

Kyle Howkins and Tristan Abrahams replaced the injured Mickey Demetriou and Scot Bennett, just as they had during Saturday’s impressive 1-0 home win over Plymouth Argyle.

That meant Padraig Amond played a slightly deeper role at the point of a midfield diamond with Abrahams up front alongside Jamille Matt, although the Exiles formation was pretty fluid throughout the first half.

The football, for the most part, was far from fluid with neither goalkeeper seriously tested in the first 45 minutes.

Walsall’s Caolan Lavery turned his man in the box in the 10th minute but his shot was straight at Tom King and lacked the power to trouble him.

King had a scare midway through the first half when his clearance was charged down by Elijah Adebayo but the ball rebounded to safety.

And James Hardy and Cameron Norman both fired wide from distance before the break, while Matt shot straight at home goalkeeper Liam Roberts at the other end after being played in by Josh Sheehan.

Mark O’Brien was in the thick of the action for the visitors, winning everything at the back and also posing a threat from set-pieces.

South Wales Argus:

Flynn would have been reasonably happy with a goalless first half, but he lost captain Joss Labadie to injury at the break with Taylor Maloney on for the second period.

And Walsall were nearly ahead three minutes after the restart when defender Dan Scarr was allowed a free header from a corner only to send it well over King’s bar.

A blood and thunder battle produced few chances after that.

Abrahams got on the end of a Ryan Haynes free-kick midway through the second half, turned his man on the edge of the area and fired way over the top.

Amond saw a fierce effort blocked and Matt poked a shot wide, while Stuart Sinclair went close for the Saddlers.

Matt then sent a header just over the bar after Howkins had nodded the ball back across goal.

But neither side could find a winner on a night that won’t live long in the memory.

County: King; McNamara, O’Brien, Howkins, Haynes; Willmott, Sheehan, Amond, Labadie (Maloney, 46); Matt, Abrahams

Subs not used: Townsend, Leadbitter, Nurse, Ekpiteta, Collins, Whitely

Booked: Haynes, Abrahams, Sheehan, Howkins

Referee: Darren Handley

Attendance: 4,337

Argus star man: O’Brien