IN the space of seven days Newport County have turned a distinctly average start to the season into a very good one.

By picking up nine points in a week the Exiles have moved to fourth in the Conference South and are showing that they are most certainly promotion candidates.

Saturday's victory over a Braintree side who were beaten in last year's playoff final was hard earned and deserved, not least because this was exactly the kind of match County would have lost last season.

Actually, they did! Last term Braintree came and stuck ten men behind the ball and snatched a 1-0 win, so it was no surprise their tactics were exactly the same this time.

Not only did the visitors make it difficult with their defensive mindset, they also wasted time from almost the first whistle and were uncompromising in their physicality.

The Exiles also had to contend with a dreadful look at me, look at me' display from sometime football league referee Richard Greenwood.

However, Peter Beadle's team look to be mentally stronger than last term and plugged away with a mental fortitude and patience the manager has been desperate to see.

They were not about to be denied despite the difficulties, and thoroughly deserved the three points they secured.

Once again they were excellent defensively, recording a sixth clean sheet in ten league games.

Summer signing Mark Dodds again impressed alongside the superb Lee Jarman, and both Steve Jenkins and Damon Searle produced their best performances of the season.

Goalkeeper Glyn Thompson was faultless once again, he might just be the best signing Beadle has made in his time as County boss.

Braintree are horribly predictable. Boss George Borg is like a non-league Harry Bassett, his teams are horrific to watch and every trick is tried to kill any pace or panache their opponents muster. Even the manager himself got in on the act of time wasting, thumping a second ball onto the field while his 'keeper was taking a goal kick. The visiting manager should spend less time winding up home supporters and more time reacquainting himself with the finer aspects of the beautiful game.

However, those kind of tactics run the risk of boiling over and his side took things too far on Saturday - and it cost them.

County started the brighter, and Jarman could have opened the scoring on nine minutes when 'keeper Nick Morgen spilled Richard Evans' corner, but he fired narrowly wide.

County enjoyed plenty of early possession as they tried to make inroads, but Braintree were incredibly well organised.

They were defensive to the point of fielding Jerome Sobers - a non-league version of Carlton Palmer in terms of physique and his lack of skill and attacking instinct - as a right winger!

County were restricted to long- range efforts, but on 21 minutes they almost scored a stunner.

Thompson bowled the ball out to Jason Bowen, who advanced with typical speed and simplicity. Bowen worked the ball down the right channel and crossed to Julian Alsop, who headed the ball down for Nathan Davies who took one touch before unleashing a shot that crashed back off the crossbar.

County continued to press but by the midway point in the first half it was the referee who was dominating the game, whistling frequently without ever imposing a sense of authority. It was a matter of time until a flashpoint occurred as the visitors were walking a fine line in virtually every aspect of their play.

Searle, Davies and Louis Riddle for the visitors all fired over from range, before the game erupted deep into first-half injury time.

Only Mr Greenwood will know why the players were into a fifth minute of stoppage time at all, but when Quinton Bradley tripped Bowen and then fired the ball straight at his head, a 20- man brawl erupted.

It became a 21-man effort when Thompson ran 60 yards to join the party, earning a deserved yellow card for his efforts.

It was impossible for Green-wood to know how many cards should be shown, but after consultation with his linesmen it was Braintree midfielder James Hawes who was given his marching orders for a punch on Davies.

If the visitors were so negative with 11 men it was obvious that they'd go further into their shell in the second period, and so it proved, though Mark Jones did force Thompson into a smart save after Jenkins' mistake just after the break.

On 56 minutes a nice combination between Bowen and Jenkins saw Evans collect and his superb composure and pullback allowed Bowen to stab the ball into the path of Charlie Griffin, who tapped home. Unfortunately for the Exiles Griffin was just offside.

With 20 minutes remaining Bowen's cross was headed down perfectly by Alsop to the advancing Lee Collier, but his piledriver crashed back off the woodwork.

Beadle gambled by switching to 4-3-3 and bringing on goalless Craig Hughes and with time running out, his gamble paid off.

Griffin had again come close before Lee Jarman's hopeful crossfield ball on 78 minutes was met by Alsop, who headed over the stranded goalkeeper who had come out rashly.

Thompson saved well from Michael Shinn as Braintree finally attacked, before Collier caused a nervous moment by allowing Quinton the chance to shoot, but he fired over.

With a minute remaining County could finally relax, Davies and Bowen creating an opening for Hughes who fired across goal with Sobers turning the ball in.

Hughes will rightly claim his first of the season and his timing is perfect because he, like the County, is finally off and running. Why only 866 saw the victory is anyone's guess.

County: Thompson, Jenkins, Searle (Hughes 73), Davies, Jarman, Dodds, Bowen, Collier, Alsop, Griffin, Evans. Subs not used: Brewer, Ovendale, Fowler, O'Sullivan Booked: Jarman (foul, 36), Jenkins (simulation, 38), Thompson (violent conduct, 45+6), Alsop (foul play, 90).

Braintree: Morgen, Burgess, Jones (Martin 88), Adedaji, Cousins, Quinton, Sobers, Shinn, Baker (Archer 70), Hawes, Riddle.Subs not used: Bailey, Soutar, Ofori.

Booked: Cousins (foul, 44), Sobers (time wasting, 70), Quinton (foul play, 90).Red cards: Hawes (violent conduct 45+6).

Referee: Richard Greenwood, Plymouth.