Newport County 0 Carlisle United 0: Carlisle United kept their play-off hopes alive with an excellent display at rivals Newport – but were left cursing their failure to get a goal.

The Blues had to settle for a 0-0 draw at Rodney Parade despite having much the better of things.

Chris Beech’s side remain three points outside the play-off places as they went five unbeaten.

But it could easily have been so much better as the Blues failed to take a number of good chances to go ahead.

Rod McDonald missed a first-half header while Offrande Zanzala saw a goal ruled out for a foul on the keeper.

Omari Patrick was denied in the second half before Zanzala failed to convert a cross from Patrick.

Newport threatened through Aaron Lewis, Padraig Amond and Ryan Taylor as Carlisle were left with their first goalless draw of the League Two campaign.

They now sit ninth with six games to play, Newport inching up a place to sixth, with Forest Green now being chased in seventh.

On a night rivals in the chasing pack were beaten - Exeter going down 2-1 at Barrow and Salford losing 1-0 at home to Bolton - United, with Danny Devine starting at right-back in place of George Tanner, had much the better of the first 45 minutes without managing to make the breakthrough.

After Nicky Maynard shot over the bar for the hosts after 14 seconds, the game was held up for several minutes as Callum Guy and Lewis Collins were patched up after a collision.

Guy resumed with his head bandaged, and after United survived another Maynard attempt after Taylor won the ball in the air, the Blues grew positively into things.

Zanzala, attacking from the left, tested keeper Nick Townsend, before Jack Armer saw a shot blocked and Jon Mellish was denied with a volley.

Lewis Alessandra was booked as Newport players surrounded the ref following his challenge on Josh Sheehan, but United remained on top, Guy shooting just wide from 30 yards and McDonald somehow missing the target with a header from Guy's free-kick.

Joss Labadie failed to get Alessandra sent off as he went down holding his face after an aerial contest, while Aaron Hayden went close at the back post for the Blues and Zanzala forced the ball over the line from an Armer cross, the striker penalised for a foul on the keeper.

Newport mounted a rare attack shortly before half-time but McDonald came across in time to block Maynard's shot from the left.

Patrick failed to take a big second-half chance as he surged away from Lewis, only for Liam Shephard to block his shot.

Lewis went close with a volley for Newport before Patrick rifled over after Alessandra hooked the ball across the box.

The dangerous Patrick later shot wide before sending a low cross into Zanzala's path, the ball slipping agonisingly through the striker's feet.

Beech sent on fit-again Joshua Kayode late on, while Farman denied home sub Padraig Amond and Taylor fired over at the death.

Newport: Townsend, Dolan (Ellison 88), Bennett, Demetriou, Shephard, Labadie, Lewis, Sheehan, Collins, Taylor, Maynard (Amond 72). Not used: King, Longe-King, Gambin, Telford, Ledley. 

Booked: Dolan. 

United: Farman, Devine, Armer, McDonald, Hayden, Guy, Riley, Mellish (Anderton 75), Alessandra, Patrick, Zanzala (Kayode 88). Not used: Norman, Tanner, Furman, Toure, Walker. 

Booked: Alessandra, Mellish. 

Ref: Lee Swabey.