Hednesford Town 1 Newport County 2

NEWPORT County are fast turning the knack of winning away matches into an art form, with Saturday's success in Staffordshire the fifth Premier Division win in a row on the road.

To achieve such a run County have become a streetwise combination, able to soak up pressure and hit teams on the break.

And in central defender Jeff Eckhardt and goalkeeper Duncan Roberts they have two imposing figures at the back who are more than a match for most forwards at this level.

The 38-year-old Eckhardt must relish challenges posed by strikers such as Hednesford's Steve Anthrobus, who is tall and powerful, but lacks the guile and experience that Eckhardt has gained from more than 500 football league appearances.

County produced arguably the best 45 minutes of football this season in the first half as they dominated a Hednesford side who, like Newport, were looking to extend a seven-match unbeaten run in league and cup games.

Two headed goals within the space of two minutes, both created by superbly flighted set-piece deliveries from Andrew Mumford, set up County's success.

After 11 minutes the evergreen Eckhardt powered in a header from a Mumford free kick to take his tally for the season to seven, and then Neil Davis, returning to his own stamping-ground, joined him on the seven-goal mark when he climbed highest to flick Mumford's left-wing corner beyond Ryan Young in the home goal.

A home onslaught was anticipated after the break, and Hednesford did not disappoint their fans with their efforts to get back into the game.

But despite spending most of the second 45 minutes camped in Newport territory, the Pitmen found it difficult to break down a County back fall, in which Terry Evans, Andrew Thomas and Scott Morgan all provided sterling support for stand-in skipper Eckhardt in protecting Roberts.

They managed one goal from Steve Evans in the 61st minute, when the midfield player fired home a loose ball from 20 yards after Roberts punched away a Les Hines' free kick.

Home substitute Nathan Lamey produced Hednesford's most dangerous threat a minute after his 75th-minute introduction, but Roberts proved equal to it with a fine diving save, and as the home side stretched themselves in search of a reward, County substitute Raith Plant set up late chances for Davis to add to the score.

County stay in tenth place but are now only four points adrift of second-placed Hinckley, the next visitors to Newport Stadium on December 6.

A delighted Newport manager Peter Nicholas said: "I think we deserved the victory on the strength of our first-half display alone.

"Jeff Eckhardt was outstanding, and I must stress again how much help we had from our supporters, who didn't stop shouting for us all day."

Hednesford: Young, Gibson, Hines, S Evans (Lamey 75), Brindley, Simkin, C Palmer, S Palmer, Anthrobus, Danks, Gray.

Subs not used: Williams, Dodd, Brown, P Evans. Scorer: S Evans (61).

Newport County: Roberts, Evans, Morgan, Davies, Eckhardt, Thomas, Mumford, Jones, Davis, J Phillips (Plant 75), G Phillips.

Subs not used: S Williams, A Williams, O'Sullivan, Wesson.

Scorers: Eckhardt (11), Davis (13).

Booked: Eckhardt (84) dissent.

Attendance: 568.