A LOT has changed for Newport County AFC in the last 12 months but the League Two table has a familiar look about it.

‘Judge us after 15 games’ is a favourite refrain for many managers, Justin Edinburgh included, and County’s record now is exactly the same as it was a year ago.

With nearly a third of the season gone the Exiles have 23 points from 15 games thanks to Joe Pigott’s wonderful equaliser against Accrington Stanley.

After 15 games last season, Edinburgh’s men also had 23 points following a 4-1 humbling at Fleetwood Town when Robbie Willmott was sent off after two minutes and 19 seconds.

So, despite a horrible start to the season with three successive league defeats, County have matched what was judged to be a highly encouraging first few months in League Two.

And that is quite an achievement when you consider that this year’s injury crisis has been even worse that last season’s.

With key men like Ryan Jackson, Adam Chapman and Robbie Willmott sidelined the team is not producing the excellent football of last month, or that of autumn 2013.

But they are battling hard and, for now at least, they always seem to be able to find a moment of magic to pick up the points that their overall displays may not strictly merit.

It happened at Dagenham & Redbridge when Chris Zebroski rose above everyone to head home Andy Sandell’s perfect cross in the very last minute.

It happened against Southend United when Joe Day saved brilliantly from the spot and Aaron O’Connor set up Mark Byrne for a fabulous winner.

And it happened again on Saturday when Pigott received the ball with his back to goal, turned and curled it into the top corner from almost 30 yards.

Mention Accrington Stanley to most people over 30 and the response will inevitably be to recall a certain milk advert from the 1980s.

Mention Accrington Stanley to a County fan and their mind will instantly drift back to that glorious day in August 2013 as their side returned to the Football League with a bang.

A crowd of 4,361 basked in bright sun as goals from Harry Worley, Christian Jolley and two from Zebroski saw the Exiles tore the visitors apart.

Stanley looked doomed to relegation but they survived under James Beattie and they are a different prospect entirely under new boss John Coleman.

They set out to frustrate their hosts and succeeded brilliantly.

Coleman’s starting XI suggested he had come to South Wales for a point and he will consider himself unlucky not to have taken all three.

The opening goal on 63 minutes may have had a touch of fortune as Sean Maguire’s chipped effort was deflected over Day by captain Sandell.

But they could and should have put the game to bed before Pigott’s peach of a leveller nine minutes later.

Edinburgh was once again thankful to Day, who denied Stanley skipper Luke Joyce and Seamus McCarten and Marcus Carver.

The offside flag also came to County’s rescue as McCarten hit the base of the post with Day beaten and Carver netted from the rebound.

The home defence, with new loan signing Curtis Obeng showing plenty of rustiness, was in disarray before the equaliser.

In the end Mark Byrne and Yan Klukowski could have won it but even the most one-eyed County fan amongst the much-improved crowd of 3,254 couldn’t have claimed their team deserved all three points.

Like this time last year, however, one glance at the league table will tell you there is all to play for over the coming months.

County: Day; Obeng, Feely, Jones, Hughes, Sandell; Porter (Klukowski, 67), Byrne, Minshull; O’Connor (Loveridge, 83), Zebroski (Pigott, 62)

Subs not used: Pidgeley, Yakubu, Tancock, Flynn

Booked: Obeng

Accrington: Jorenen; Hunt, Aldred, Atkinson, Winnard, Molyneux (Carver, 54); O’Sullivan, Barry (McCarten, 45), Joyce, Proctor; Maguire

Subs not used: Windass, Gray, Hatfield, Simpson, Mingola

Booked: Maguire

Referee: Mark Haywood

Attendance: 3,254