A much changed Newport side slipped to another home defeat against in form Horndean on Tuesday night.
Suspensions, injury and illness meant the Port had to make a number of changes, particularly in defence.
Gary Streeter had picked up a knock on Saturday at Bashley and was replaced by Connor Brady, Caleb Charlesworth came in from the reserves to replace the suspended Spike Pearce, Jack Turkington started at left back replacing the injured Jacob Reynolds, Charlie Urry was also missing due to illness.
Both sides started off playing good football playing the ball around but disaster hit the Port on 10 mins. A high ball played in to the box dropped out of the floodlights and caught a defender on the arm, huge shout from Horndean and the referee pointed to the spot. A harsh decision considering it was accidental and clearly no intent. Jack Maloney finishing the penalty clinically giving Brady no chance in goal.
This unnerved the Port a little and was swiftly followed by a chance for Horndean’s Miles Evereritt who shot wide when the goal was at his mercy.
The Port continued to be under pressure and only a superb point blank save from Brady kept the defecit at 1-0. Shortly afterwards in the 28th minute the Port were further behind when a defender was drawn in to a rash challenge just inside the box bringing the striker down, this time a dead cert penalty. Jack Maloney again putting it away with precision.
The Port still continued to try and play football and despite getting the ball into dangerous areas there weren’t players able to get on the end of it .
Half Time: Newport 0 Horndean 2
The second half continued where the first had ended with the Port enjoying more of the ball and looking for chances to get back in the game. This happened in the 62nd minute when Aiden Sainsbury curled a free kick over the wall and into the top corner from 20 yards. Now with the score at 2-1 , it was game on.
Unfortunately it was only for 6 minutes as Harry Jackson hit a 25 yarder just inside the post to restore Hondean’s two goal lead.
Newport made a double substitution to try and get back in the game Kyle Drew coming on for Darren Powell and Lewis Wright coming on for Alex Harmer.
Sadly it was not to be and on 76 minutes Mark Smith scored with a strike from the edge of the box. On 81 minutes Dan Sackman scored a fifth with a bullet header from a corner.
Newport were always up against it with so many players missing and for two thirds of the match they were well in it but fell away tamely towards the end.
Full Time: Newport 1 Horndean 5
Newport: Brady, Quigley, Turkington, Sainsbury (Yates), Charlesworth, Sampson, Powell (Drew), Harmer (Wright), Wetherick, Taylor, Kelly.
Attendance 90
Referee