AS John Cornforth admits, his is a results-driven business, and five successive defeats for third bottom of the Nationwide South, Newport County, tell their own story.

It was still difficult not to feel some sympathy for the under-fire County boss on Saturday as he contemplated his future, or possible lack of it, at the club after going down 1-0 at Lewes on Saturday.

It was really a tale of two goalkeepers in East Sussex.

For 79 minutes County's Nathan Vaughan had the easiest afternoon of his life, with nothing more than the odd corner and a series of back-passes to deal with.

However, when home skipper Dean Hooper flighted a routine cross towards the six-yard box, Vaughan came, stopped and was all at sea, leaving forward Jean-Michel Sigere the simple task of knocking the ball into the empty net.

The County 'keeper repeated the error from another cross, but stand-in right back Ashley Williams spared his blushes with a headed clearance off the line from Lewes substitute Lee Farrell.

Play immediately switched to the other end, where teenage County strike Matt Green showed neat control and an assured touch to fire what looked like an equaliser.

This time, however, Paul Wilkerson in the home goal flung himself to his right to claw the ball past the post. It was the second stunning save from Wilkerson, who showed great reflexes to stop a Cortez Belle volley on 21 minutes, and was named man of the match for the Rooks.

Other than those incidents, it was pretty turgid stuff, with Lewes probably the least impressive of the five moderate-looking outfits who have clinched three points from County already this term.

And while the Newport line-up looked more organised and comfortable with the reversion to a 4-4-2 formation, they still have several players that games seem to pass by.

The only problems at the back were Vaughan's jitters, with Darren Jones and Andrew Thomas comfortable and full backs Williams and Dominic Reece solid.

In midfield the tireless Nathan Davies was easily the best outfield player on both sides and fully deserved the accolade of "excellent" he received from his manager.

The fact is that Davies is given the job of two players in County's engine-room as Kwame Ampadu, Cornforth's major signing, has yet to fulfil expectations.

On the flanks Antonio Corbisiero and Wayne O'Sullivan were anonymous and struggled to get by their opposition full backs or deliver a telling cross all afteroon.

Belle and Green showed some promise as an attacking pairing, but they were given scant service, and Belle still spends too much time by the corner flag, where he poses no threat to opposing defences, rather than attacking the ball in the danger areas.

But it may be the case that Belle grows impatient at the lack of deliveries into the box and goes hunting for the ball to try to make things happen for himself.

The former Merthyr and Chester forward limped off with a knee injury in the second half, and his replacement, Sam O'Sullivan, missed a chance for glory when he was unable to control the ball after his pace had taken him clear.

So some sympathy for Cornforth because no manager can legislate for a goalkeeper aberration, but results are results, and County's confidence will continue to suffer as the defeats pile up.

County: Vaughan, Williams, Reece, Davies, Jones, Thomas, Corbisiero, Ampadu, Belle (S O'Sullivan 72), Green, W O'Sullivan (Taylor 84). Subs not used: Harrhy, Draycott, Blackburn. Booked: Green (32 retaliation), Jones (38 foul), Reece (49 foul), W O'Sullivan (61 foul).

Lewes: Wilkerson, Lovett, Cockerill (Price 63), S Robinson, Legge, Hooper, Harkin, Beckford, Soyewa (Farrell 73), Sigere, J Robinson (Watts 76). Subs not used: Hustwick, Kennett. Booked: S Robinson (32 foul).

Referee: H Lennard (Surrey). Attendance: 485.

l County did have something to celebrate on Saturday when their youth side produced one of their best results to come from behind to win their Football League Alliance at Oxford United. Kris Leek and Matthew Rowlands were on target in their 2-1 success.