NEWPORT County AFC moved to the brink of safety in League Two with a deserved draw against promotion hopefuls Oxford United at Rodney Parade last night. Here's what we learned.

1. Performance-related pay can be effective

Exiles boss Warren Feeney revealed after the match that he’d promised to pay Medy Elito £100 if he scored and the winger duly produced a stunning strike to level the match.

The players shouldn’t need that incentive and as an attacking midfielder Elito should be on at least five goals by this stage, but Feeney tried something different and it paid off.

2. Players are fully behind the manager

Feeney joked that Elito ran over to celebrate him because he wanted to remind him about that £100 but the way the Congolese star and his teammates converged on the manager was great to see.

The boss has been critical of his players in recent weeks and rightly so but that moment proved that there is still a strong bond between him and his players.

3. Desire and hunger is there

After a pitiful performance at Stevenage, Feeney called for his players to show ‘desire’ and ‘hunger’ and they responded with a spirited display.

And the home fans at Rodney Parade, who have not had a lot to cheer about all season, responded to the team’s efforts to create a great atmosphere – helped by more than 1,000 supporters in the away end.

4. County can match the best

Dismal defeats to fellow strugglers Yeovil Town and Stevenage over recent weeks have sapped the morale of everyone connected with the club but County once again proved that, on their day, they can match the best that League Two has to offer.

Oxford may have been without some key players, most notably Kemar Roofe, but they were second-best for much of last night’s match and the Exiles shone – just as they had at Northampton, Portsmouth, Bristol Rovers and Wycombe.

5. York aren’t going to give up without a fight

You have to hand it to the Minstermen. Their superb win over promotion-chasing Portsmouth last night means their hopes of a Great Escape are still just about alive.

It’s unlikely that they will win at second-placed Accrington Stanley on Saturday, as they have to do, but they are going down fighting and making County sweat that little bit longer.