JIMMY Dack insists Newport County AFC will head to Exeter on Monday “feeling like we’ve won,” after his side came back from 2-0 down to draw with Hartlepool United.

The red-hot relegation candidates have come from nowhere in recent weeks to be League Two’s in-form side and didn’t the Exiles know it after Ronnie Moore’s men raced into a 2-0 lead at Rodney Parade.

However, a thunderbolt from Darren Jones on the stroke of half time and a fine finish from Aaron O’Connor earned Newport a point that keeps them in the League Two play-off spots.

And Dack believes Newport will head to rivals Exeter with nothing on their minds but getting three precious points, especially as their draw with Pools felt like a victory.

“Getting that win is harder than ever and at 2-0 down, I am sure people feared for us a little bit today and they’ll be positive now, it feels more like we’ve won,” he said.

“But the character my team showed was absolutely immense and they never, ever stopped working.

“I am actually over the moon with a point, we certainly look at it as a point gained even though in the second half we pinned them back and looked like the only team who could win it.

“But we were in a bad situation and never gave up and they are a credit to this club, the way they battle.

“We needed the goal before half time, got it and never looked back after that.

“There is a tinge of disappointment not to win, but they are in great form.

“Ismail had a chance near the end, we might have won it, they didn’t really threaten our goal, but we are happy and feel like we have momentum with us.

“It is in our hands, no one else around us won and that’s because everyone is getting a little bit nervous.”

Dack insists attack is the County way for big away matches.

“That’ll be our approach, we look to win these games,” he said.

“We went away to Burton, beat them, Wycombe, beat them and Bury, we beat them as well,” he said.

“That’s the way we are going to go out, we won’t settle for a point, we are going to try and get three.”

Dack revealed defender Ryan Jackson should be back on Monday to provide the Exiles a boost.

“Ryan is very close, he got the all-clear from a scan on Friday,” he said.

“But I’ve got to give Yan Klukowski a bit of credit. He’s playing out of position and doing a good job for us and he’s an unsung hero, because we’ve been moving him about all season really.”