COUNTY crept out of the bottom three yesterday with a draw against fellow relegation candidates Sutton United, but whether you regard the result as one point gained or two dropped depends on where you stand in the glass half full or half empty debate.

From a positive point of view Sutton were hardly allowed a sight of Nathan Vaughan's goal and County have now kept three successive clean sheets away from home.

And just two defeats in nine league games suggests that John Cornforth has a squad capable of scrapping for results to keep the relegation wolf from the door.

From a pessimist's perspective, even with Cortez Belle in attack County carved out very few openings and had their been a television crew at Sutton yesterday they would have struggled to fill thirty seconds of highlights.

"I can totally understand the fans' frustration but if they expect fantastic football between now and the end of the season it is just not going to happen," said Cornforth.

"What they are getting is some honest performances from a totally honest bunch of players."

There were mitigating factors that made life difficult for both sides yesterday, notably the terrible state of the Gander Green Lane playing surface, which made it all but impossible for any passing movements to be put together.

Cornforth said: "Anyone who knows me knows that I want my teams to play passing football but today was always going to be scrappy as our fans would realise if they had walked across that pitch because it was like a car park."

In the circumstances then Cornforth could acclaim the positive aspects to emerge not least of which was the performance of Vaughan in goal and the former Plymouth YTS player has now conceded just once in three games since signing from Willenhall.

He had little shot stopping to do but he was decisive in his handling and communicated well with his defenders.

Jeff Eckhardt was again impressive alongside Darren Jones and Andrew Thomas though whether Cornforth can afford three centre backs in must win home games is another matter.

In attack Belle controlled the aggression which almost earned him red cards in his first two games but his strike partnership with Jamie Moralee posed little threat and the tall forward spent far too much time on the flanks, out of harms way for Sutton.

The best moment of the game came when substitute Nick Harrhy found a space with ten minutes remaining, only to see his effort well saved by home 'keeper Phil Wilson.

The trialist forward pressed strong claims for a place in the starting line-up on Saturday. Sutton United: Wilson, Gray, Gonsalves, Nurse, Palmer, Corbett, Quinton, Honey, Brake, Watkins (O'Shea 82), Akuamoah. Subs not used: Hunter, Andrews, Tydeman. Bookings: Nurse (76 foul).

Newport County: Vaughan, L Phillips (Passmore 64), Morgan, Davies (Hooper 46), Thomas, D Jones, Bowen, Williams, Moralee (Harrhy 64), Bell, Eckhardt. Subs not used: Tyrrell, G Jones. Bookings: D Jones (50), Bowen (79), both for fouls. Referee: G Ives. Attendance: 665.