Newport IoW crashed to a 3-0 basement defeat at second-to-bottom Erith & Belvedere, but Islanders boss John Linington felt the scoreline was harsh.

"We weren't that bad," he insisted." Adam Barsdell had a couple chances and we could have gone in three up at half-time. Barny then hit the bar early in the second half and it was a bit flukey when they scored with about 25 minutes to go.

"Their player went up with our defender Jon Holmes and the ball went right up in the air and came down between them and keeper John Simpkins.

"Their guy (Richard Vercesi) just managed to get a toe to it. After that our heads went down and Erith scored two more (both Akpol Sodje) right at the end.

"But there wasn't that much between us. Danny Hatcher had two penalty appeals turned down and both would have been easy decisions to give."

Erith's victory means Fleet Town are doomed to finish bottom of the 22-team pile after a late home collapse against Chatham.

The north Hampshire club deservedly took a 63rd-minute lead when Eddie Smith lobbed the keeper, but Danny Larkin headed Chatham back on terms with six remaining before disaster struck for Fleet in the dying seconds.

Glen Billingness was adjudged to have been tripped and 18-year-old Frannie Collin stepped up to the spot to pocket the visitors a last-gasp 2-1 win.