GRAHAM Westley insists that every point is a “mini victory” as Newport County AFC fight to preserve their Football League status.

Tuesday night’s game in hand at home to Morecambe, which ended in a 1-1 draw, was seen as a must-win match by many but Westley believes it was a point won rather than two dropped.

A County side missing defenders Darren Jones, Sid Nelson and Scot Bennett and midfield trio Joss Labadie, Sean Rigg and Josh Sheehan led through Aaron Williams’ first half opener but that was cancelled out by Michael Rose’s free-kick for the visitors after the break.

The draw means the Exiles remain bottom of League Two and they are still six points from safety ahead of Saturday’s trip to play-off chasing Mansfield Town.

But Westley is encouraged by his side’s improving form.

They have now been beaten just once in eight matches having suffered eight successive defeats in League Two between late November and early January.

The concern is that the latest run has brought only one win and, since the 3-0 success at Notts County on November 19, Westley’s team have tasted victory just once in 18 matches in all competitions.

“We’d all love to be winning three points but all the time you’re winning a point, you’re winning something and you’re narrowing the gap,” said the manager.

“We’ve got 14 games [left] and 42 points [to play for].

“Of course we need that tally to start racking up but we saw earlier in the season what three straight wins can do, and we beat Accrington, Carlisle, Notts County with a weaker squad.

“That took us out of the bottom two and this time when we get out of the bottom two we need to make sure we stay out.”

Defender Mark O’Brien was also forced off with a bang to the leg in the second half against Morecambe.

“We ended the game without a recognised centre-back and when you lose your entire defensive platform that is a lot to take,” added Westley.

“These boys are digging really deep to grind things out and every point is a point won and every point is a mini victory.

“And three wins down the line we’ll look back at points like this and think it wasn’t such a bad point after all."