Exeter suffered their eighth stalemate in 12 League Two games as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Newport at St James Park.

Newport started the better of the two teams and went in front on 12 minutes. Former Exeter loanee Robbie Willmott was afforded far too much space on the edge of the penalty box and he fired a low shot into the far corner.

It took Exeter 10 minutes to respond as Matt Jay picked the ball up in space and advanced forward before firing a low shot from distance that took a deflection to leave Joe Day wrong-footed.

Newport went back in front on 28 minutes when Courtney Baker-Richards tried his luck from distance and Exeter goalkeeper Cam Dawson made a real hash of trying to keep it out as the ball squirmed in at the near post.

Exeter levelled things up again on 55 minutes when Sam Nombe picked the ball up on the corner of the penalty box and curled a beauty into the far corner for his fifth goal in five games.

Oliver Cooper was denied by Dawson in a rare Newport attack, while Kyle Taylor fired straight at Day with Exeter’s best opportunity in the 90th minute.