NEWPORT County boss John Cornforth paid tribute to his side's battling qualities at the weekend but cited a lack of quality to explain the 2-1 defeat at home to Thurrock.

County now face a Nationwide South relegation do-or-die scenario in their last two games of the season, away to Lewes on Saturday and at home to rivals Maidenhead on the last day.

"I can't fault the boys for effort, Cornforth said. "But at the end of the day we lacked that bit of quality and that is why they are third and we are in a relegation battle.

"Too often the wrong pass was made, the wrong direction was taken and the ball was not moved round quick enough.

"There were too many 60 and 70 yards balls and that was meat and drink to their two centre halves.

"That is not they way we play or train but for some reason that has gone out of the window."

Cornforth was left seething at the manner of the visitors' opening goal, as he had warned about that exact scenario before the match.

"I couldn't believe what I was seeing," he said. "We had reports telling us that they always aim for the big captain at set-pieces to knock it back across the goal for the second ball.

"I must have told the lads about it six times before the game and they still didn't defend it."

The County boss also had some vitriol left for referee James Cox, who denied his side a couple of penalty kicks and had a few other questionable decisions.

Cornforth said: "The second goal was a foul on the goalkeeper, the lad has barged him. If it happened in the middle of the pitch it would've been a free kick.

""It has to go done as one of the worst refereeing displays I have seen in a long time."

He added: "There is no point bleating about it I suppose.

We have two games to go and we have to get the job done.

"We had hoped to put it to bed on Saturday but that's not to be and it is all about the next game."