NEWPORT IOW are staring down the barrel of Ryman 1 relegation again after taking a 5-0 caning at Cray Wanderers.
To compound the gloom, Ashford Town pulled off a 3-2 home win over Tooting & Mitcham to hoist themselves out of the drop zone and dump the Islanders second-to-bottom instead.
Port will now be keeping a wary eye on tomorrow's basement showdown between 20th-placed Banstead, who are level with them on 30 points, and Dorking, a point better off.
With four games remaining, Newport boss John Linington remains convinced his side can stay up but said: "We're going to have to put in a lot more effort than we did in the first half at Cray.
"We knew they were a well-equipped side, having beaten us 6-0 at home, but their first four goals were all down to poor defending.
"They got to all the second balls quicker than we did.
"I'm more disappointed than after any game this season because we honestly went there thinking we could get something.
"Walton & Hersham beat Wimbledon 4-0 on Saturday, yet they didn't come close to scoring that many against us last week when we were unlucky to lose 1-0.
"Having signed Fraser Quirke, we went to Cray with more attacking intention but, unfortunately, it didn't materialise.
"Fraser clipped the bar and Dave Greening had a chance, but nothing came off for us against a physically stronger side."
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