24-carat County looking unstoppable (From South Wales Argus)

24-carat County looking unstoppable

9:10am Wednesday 3rd March 2010

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Basingstoke 1 County 5

FREE scoring Newport County powered to an absolutely astounding 24 point advantage at the top of the Blue Square South after a convincing 5-1 win at Basingstoke Town last night.

The five-star Exiles were a class act at the Camrose and they continue to look a safe bet to secure the league title at home to either Bishop's Stortford or Havant within the fortnight.

County were in inspired form once once again and demonstrated the imposing depth of their squad to boot.

It was telling that for the first time in a number of weeks, boss Dean Holdsworth did opt to make wholesale changes in his starting line-up – four players switched, rested and/or rotated.

Defender Martyn Giles finally made his perhaps overdue return from the wilderness at left back, Jamie Collins switched to central midfield where he partnered Scott Rogers, with Kerry Morgan and Wayne Turk dropping out.

Also in defence Paul Cochlin made way, Chris Todd partnering skipper Gary Warren and up front Stuart Douglas was also given a chance to shine – Craig Reid perhaps unsurprisingly only on the bench following such a draining week.

However, you can take winners out of the team but seemingly you can't take winning out of the team, the Exiles racing into a 2-0 lead inside the first 15 minutes.

Boss Holdsworth has spoken all season of having game changing players throughout the side and it was the sensational Danny Rose who set County on their way.

On nine minutes he finished off a lovely move, Charlie Henry's cross headed firmly by Douglas, only to bounce back off the crossbar.

It was Rose who followed up, Ross Kitteridge deflecting his first effort, only for the former Manchester United man to snaffle home the rebound

Rose, returned to the left flank, was causing Basingstoke all sorts of trouble and on 14 minutes after he was fouled, he picked himself up to fire County into a two goal lead.

This one was a bit special, Rose curling the ball low and hard around the wall into the bottom corner of the net and the Exiles were coasting once again.

Seconds later it could've been three, but Warren's header from Henry's corner drifted inches wide of the far post.

Basingstoke rallied enough to test Glyn Thompson moments later, saving from Mitchell Bryant, he who scored six at Weymouth last month – a record even County will struggle to break this term.

But the Exiles were rampant, dominating possession, Douglas particularly impressing as a front-runner, strong and deceptively quick.

He was really troubling Basingstoke and others were creating chances around him, Charlie Henry also catching the eye.

From his teasing ball, Douglas volleyed over on the half hour before another sweeping move saw Rose cross for Sam Foley whose volley was brilliantly saved by Kitteridge, palming the ball away from point-blank range.

It was when, not if, County scored again and the third arrived on 39 minutes, Henry's corner headed by Warren whose effort crashed back off the bar, Douglas on hand to poke home the rebound – a just reward for his display.

The encounter looked over and done with, but on 41 minutes referee Mr Amery awarded the hosts a penalty when Collins was adjudged to have handled (it was hard to tell, but seemed soft indeed).

Rob Rice showed the required composure to send Thompson the wrong way and give the hosts hope heading into the interval.

However, it was a short lived hope.

The contest was ended within four minutes of the restart, Foley racing clear following Giles' sweet through ball, poking past Kitteridge to score his ninth goal in 2010 alone, the fourth time in five away games that the Exiles have netted four, an astonishing stat.

Foley had a couple of credible chances to net County's fifth, though Basingstoke showed decent spirit, one testing cross fabulously hooked away from danger by Giles with Thompson beaten.

With time ticking away Morgan's smart cross was fired at goal by Foley, crashing back and out off the crossbar, a brief setback as from a corner that followed that move, Giles headed home, a richly deserved reward for a fine individual display.

Basingstoke: Kitteridge, Mitchell-Coop (Hankin 63), Warner, Laidler, Christon, Finlay, Rice, Williamson, Pratt, Bryant (Downes 54), Frewen (Ogunbote 64)

Subs not used: Mitchell, Stephens

Booked: Laidler (dissent, 55), Hankin (foul, 82)

County: Thompson, Bignot, Collins, Giles, Warren, Todd, Rose, Rogers, Douglas (Turk 79), Foley, Henry (Morgan 70)

Subs not used: Morgan, Turk, Reid, Cochlin

Booked: None

Referee: Mr Amery (Devon)

Attendance: 686

Argus star man: Danny Rose

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