ANXIETY got the better of player-manager Steve Tate after crisis club Newport pulled off a gutsy 3-2 victory over Salisbury in the Dr Martens League Cup at St George's Park last night.

The future of the Island club is still in limbo after they went into voluntary receivership last week and, despite his pride at last night's performance, Tate confessed: "The uncertainty is really getting to me.

"I'm putting a team together here that really excites me and we should be celebrating this win against a good Salisbury side - and yet we aren't.

"Things are coming together for us on the park and if anything happens to scupper that I shall be one very fed up manager.

"But no way should Newport go under. It's too big a club."

Tate was on target himself with a 23rd minute diving header from Guy Whittingham's cross, putting Newport 2-0 up following Gareth Keeping's sixth-minute opener.

Headers from Adam Wallace and Wayne Turk pulled Salisbury level by the 63rd minute, but the Islanders had the last word with a deflected Jon Holmes shot from Alex Perry's 85th-minute corner.

Tate said: "I feel very proud of my players tonight. They could just pick up their money and go through the motions, but they've shown their respect by running through brick walls for me."

In stark contrast, Salisbury boss Nick Holmes was fuming. The ex-Saint snapped: "We didn't do it tonight and we won't win anything this season unless we sort out our attitude."

Downton continued their unbeaten November with a crucial 3-2 Jewson Wessex League basement win at bottom club Whitchurch United last night.

Mitch Blake's side hit back from a goal down to seal three precious points through Neil Archer, Russell James and Matthew Guy.

It lifts the Wiltshire side to fifth from bottom and within touching distance of mid-table respectability.

Manager Mitch Blake said: "It cuts us loose from the bottom two and gives us some breathing space. If we get a result at Newbury on Saturday that would complete an unbeaten November which would be outstanding for us."

James, a 21-year-old striker plucked from Salisbury & District football with South Newton, has been instrumental in that success and Blake said: "He deserves praise because he works his socks off and gets on the end of things. He's really made the difference this season."

Aldershot returned to the Ryman Premier summit with a 2-1 home win over Kingstonian.