Newport County 1-1 Walsall: Scott Twine rescues point for Exiles

Elijah Adebayo had opened the scoring for Walsall

Newport County kept their three-point lead at the top of League Two despite being held at home by Walsall.

Both goals came in a breathless five minutes in the first half, with Elijah Adebayo striking first for the visitors as he beat a diving Nick Townsend.

Scott Twine levelled swiftly for the Exiles with a powerful 35-yard shot, but Emmanuel Osadebe should have restored Walsall's lead moments later.

Twine and Matty Dolan had chances for Newport to win it but Walsall held on.

Cheltenham Town in second missed the chance to close the gap on the Exiles after conceding a last-gasp equaliser at home to third-placed Cambridge United.

Newport County manager Michael Flynn said:

"Again it was just the final pass or the final decision making but it was a big improvement second half.

"I thought Walsall were good, they looked up for it, they were organised and looked to cramp out the midfield so we couldn't get a lot of good possession.

"I'm not going to point any individual out but we're missing too many chances still, it's crazy to say with the position we're in but it's a game we could have won."