Exeter manager Matt Taylor feels his side are getting close to being a very good team after they were held to a draw once again in League Two.

Their 2-2 draw with Newport was their eighth in 12 games this season and they did it the hard way after former Grecians loanee Robbie Willmott had opened the scoring for the Welsh side.

Matt Jay’s curled shot levelled it up before Courtney Baker-Richards’ shot squirmed through the arms of goalkeeper Cameron Dawson to restore Newport’s lead. But Sam Nombe’s fifth goal in five games earned Exeter a deserved share of the spoils.

“It is frustrating, but it is not a 0-0 draw and it is not a 1-1 draw,” Taylor said. “I have said time and time again that we are looking a threat and I thought we were again today.

“We have to tidy up certain areas and a couple of individual mistakes cost us today, but I can’t complain too much about that because the personnel involved in those moments have been very good for us this season.

“We keep on saying to them that they have to believe in themselves more than they are showing right now. There were moments where we were in real control, but we didn’t quite have the belief or execution and I think we are just a little bit short on confidence and that is probably because of the run we’ve been on, where we haven’t won enough games and there’s an expectation that we can win more games.

“I can’t fault the players in terms of their effort and those two goals conceded don’t usually go in against us. We scored another two goals and had enough moments to have scored more but we needed a bit more quality and composure. I don’t think we are far away.”

Newport are expected to announce a new manager this coming week, but caretaker boss Wayne Hatswell was delighted with his team’s performance.“We played some great stuff, especially first half,” he said. “They were proper worried about us in the last few days because he (Matt Taylor) changed shape and then went back to what he stuck to. He will be pleased with a point and we played some brilliant stuff.

“We have picked up a point away and we are starting to gain a little bit more understanding of each other and some of the football we played was really good at times.

“I am a little bit disappointed with the second goal, it gave them a lift and took us a little while to get going again. But once we did, we were excellent.

“I am not going to be too despondent, we picked up a point away but we need to turn it into a win on Tuesday and then it will be a good point.”