Newport County and Mansfield Town battled to a goalless draw at Field Mill on Tuesday night.
Newport had much the better of the play in Mansfield but couldn't find the breakthrough at the promotion chasers, despite the hosts being down to 10 men from the hour mark due to James Perch's red card.
County almost got off to the perfect start when, two minutes in, Will Evans latched onto a poor pass by the Mansfield back line before running towards goal and striking an effort from the edge of the box into the arms of Christy Pym.
Our good start continued in the fifth minute when Omar Bogle tried his luck from the edge of the area, but his strike was deflected behind for a corner which Mansfield cleared.
Mansfield's first chance came on the 10-minute mark when George Maris headed Elliot Hewitt's cross from the right wide of the post from inside the area.
Scot Bennett was the next to go close for us as he struck a left-footed side-foot volley wide of the left post from inside the box after Mickey Demetriou's long throw was only cleared into his path.
County went close again two minutes later when a big clearance down pitch went all the way through to James Waite who tried an attempt from an acute angle on the left of the box that went into the side netting.
A couple of half-chances followed that for the rest of the half, as Adam Lewis saw a free-kick headed behind and Demetriou had a throw headed into the arms of Pym by a Mansfield defender.
Mansfield had the final chance of the opening but George Lapslie could only hit his shot into the arms of Joe Day from the right of the box.
County started the second half like they started the first as Adam Lewis' free-kick from the right landed perfectly on the head of Demetriou who nodded straight at Pym who pushed the attempt away from danger.
Maris then had his second chance of the evening, but he struck straight at Day from the edge of the box.
Mansfield were reduced to 10 men just before the hour when James Perch brought down Bogle as he raced towards goal and the ex-Newcastle man was shown his second yellow card after getting one in the first half for a foul on Cameron Norman.
Adam Lewis went for goal from the resulting free-kick, although that was straight at Pym and caught.
Unfortunately, going down a man only galvanised Mansfield. Newport pushed for the winner for the rest of the game, but were met by a yellow wall as the hosts cleared anything that came their way.
In second-half stoppage time, Bennett hit a volley over the bar as County had to settle for a 0-0 draw.
Mansfield Town: Christy Pym, Elliott Hewitt, Oliver Hawkins, James Perch, Kieran Wallace (Jordan Bowery '45), Anthony Hartigan (John-Joe O'Toole '84), Ollie Clarke (C), George Maris (Kellan Gordon '88), Hiram Boateng (Will Swan '66), George Lapslie, Lucas Akins
Subs not used: Scott Flinders, Jason Law, James Gale
Newport County: Joe Day, James Clarke, Priestley Farquharson, Mickey Demetriou (C), Cameron Norman, Adam Lewis, Scot Bennett, Nathan Moriah Welsh, James Waite (Aaron Wildig '58), Omar Bogle, Will Evans (Thierry Nevers '70)
Subs not used: Nick Townsend, Declan Drysdale, Matt Dolan, Robbie Willmott, Lewis Collins