JARED Wetherick made himself an instant Newport IoW hero at Sholing’s expense.

Just two minutes after climbing off the bench, Wetherick - newly re-signed from Cowes Sports - secured the mid-table Islanders a surprise 1-0 Sydenhams Premier victory over their second-placed guests.

From a Newport perspective, it put the crowning glory on a special day for long-serving player Darren Powell who had been presented with an award to mark 500 club appearances.

But for Sholing the slender defeat left them with a nine-point gap to make up on league leaders Moneyfields.

In fairness to the Boatmen, they could count themselves unlucky. They twice hit the crossbar through Kevin Brewster and Byron Mason, but it was Wetherick who struck the killer blow on 77 minutes after replacing Tom McInnes.

A floated left-wing cross found the big striker two yards out and he had the simple task of nodding it into the corner.

The Boatmen had keeper Ryan Gosney to thank for keeping them in the match on 80 minutes.

Newport sub Connor Kelly caught the Sholing defence up-field and it looked for all the world as if he would put the game beyond doubt.

Kelly, though, wanted too much time and Gosney was able to make a fantastic block.

Gosney’s opposite number Gary Streeter was forced to make a smart double save, taming Lee Wort’s stinging shot and then blocking the rebound, before skipper Mason’s glancing header hit the bar.

Midfielder Ryan Thomas, another player to have recently returned to the Port fold (from Horndean), then had a 25-yarder well tipped over by Gosney in stoppage time.

Sholing travel to Bemerton tomorrow looking for a place in the Russell Cotes Cup quarter-finals.