NEWPORT County AFC’s gap to the League Two relegation zone was cut by a point but several of their strugglers failed to put the heat on.

The Exiles remain 18th after a second successive enforced Saturday off, with a frozen Rodney Parade pitch followed by a postponement because Grimsby were in FA Cup action.

County watched on as bottom club Rochdale lost along with Hartlepool and Harrogate while Crawley were the only winners with Gillingham were denied what would have been a huge win at Swindon.

Now Graham Coughlan will aim to take care of their own business with a key run of games that starts with Swindon in Newport on Saturday.

Dale are in big trouble and have now won just one of their last 11 after being downed at home by John-Kymani Gordon’s goal for Carlisle after eight minutes.

The basement outfit have tough games to come against promotion hopefuls Salford (away), Northampton (home) and Leyton Orient (away).

Former County favourite Dom Telford helped Crawley get Scott Lindsey’s reign off to a winning start with a fine 3-2 win against Salford.

South Wales Argus: Crawley's Dom TelfordCrawley's Dom Telford (Image: PA Wire/Martin Rickett)

Telford, Dion Conroy and Teddy Jenks had Crawley coasting before the Ammies hit back with late goals from Ryan Watson and Matthew Lund.

Crawley held on but Gillingham were frustrated in a cracker at Swindon.

Wales international Jonny Williams put Swindon 1-0 up in the first minute but 15 minutes later they were 3-1 down with goals from Timothee Dieng, Will Wright (penalty) and Tom Nichols.

However, Austin got one back from the spot before heading home to make it 3-3, while Saidou Khan was sent off for the Robins late on and will now miss the trip to Rodney Parade next weekend.

David Ajiboye hit the only goal to give Sutton a 1-0 victory over Harrogate.

Colchester’s survival fight gained another boost as they enjoyed a dramatic 2-1 win at Hartlepool.

An 88th-minute scrambled winner from Alex Newby earned the Us a fifth win in eight games after Fiacre Kelleher’s opener was cancelled out by Jamie Sterry.

Leyton Orient missed the opportunity to stretch their advantage at the top after going down to a 1-0 defeat at Tranmere.

With second-placed Stevenage in FA Cup action, Orient now sit only two points clear but Boro have two games in hand.

An own goal from Omar Beckles was enough to give Micky Mellon’s side their first win in four games and inflict a third straight away defeat on the O’s.

Ben Fox and substitute Shaun McWilliams scored second-half goals as Northampton shrugged-off back-to back defeats to beat Barrow 2-0 at Holker Street.

Tom Anderson’s own goal and strikes from Alfie Kilgour, Lucas Akins and Will Swan earned Mansfield a 4-1 win over Doncaster.

Harry Pell’s bullet header handed AFC Wimbledon their first league victory of the year with a 1-0 win over Stockport.