NEWPORT County produced their best performance of the season on Saturday, demolishing a woeful Maidenhead outfit to move clear of the Conference South relegation zone.
Boss Peter Beadle had demanded a decent performance from his side after they were outclassed at Carshalton last week, and boy, did he get it! Man for man County were simply terrific.
In a sense the game against Welling on Wednesday will be a more telling assessment of whether or not County are ready for a revival - because Maidenhead were so atrocious - but it can't be denied that County were on top form on Saturday and deserved to win by a far greater margin.
County's battle-weary supporters were also boosted by a sensational debut; midfielder Gary Fisken was superb for County, suggesting that he could be a hugely important figure in the second half of the season, with a dynamic, all-action display.
Fisken lined up alongside Nathan Davies and Lee Jenkins in a three-man midfield, allowing Jason Bowen a free role behind the two strikers and it worked exceptionally well, offering good protection to the defenders and allowing Bowen and Fisken to link with the front men frequently.
County were lively from the outset and Matt Green, Craig Hughes and Stuart Edwards, preferred to Gareth Warton at centre-half, all had chances to put their side ahead inside the opening 20 minutes.
County were dominant, boss Beadle had clearly restored the belief in his players and they looked hungry for the challenge, playing with a superb tempo (which they maintained until the game was safe at 3-0) and defending all over the quagmire of a pitch with discipline and endeavour.
Hughes was unlucky to be denied what appeared to be a stonewall penalty on 24 minutes after he turned smartly and was hauled down by Maidenhead skipper Brendan Gallen.
However, County didn't have long to wait before they finally managed to beat goalkeeper Scott Tarr, who was superb for his side.
Tarr kept a clean sheet against County for Basingstoke last season and for Eastleigh this term, but despite an excellent performance, he was powerless to stop Newport taking the lead on 32 minutes.
The goal was something out of nothing and really hammers home just how hard each County player worked for the victory.
Ashley Williams (filling in at right-back) played a raking hopeful ball up the right flank and Green ran the ball down, managing to squeeze in a cross from right on the dead-ball line.
Green's pull-back was mea- sured to perfection and found an unmarked Jason Bowen, who calmly slotted the ball home from ten yards to the delight of the Spytty Park faithful.
County continued their domination from the first moments of the second half, Hughes again unlucky on 48 minutes when his chip shot was parried towards goal by Tarr, who recovered well to stop the ball on the line with the referee on hand and in a good position to rule that the ball had not crossed the line.
On 51 minutes Maidenhead fashioned a rare chance, a speculative shot by Lee Newman that was well saved by Tony Pennock, who launched the ball upfield and put County on the attack.
Davies collected the ball on the right flank and fired in a cross into a crowded penalty area that Tarr could only deflect into the path of Hughes, who tapped home for his third of the season.
Just a minute later Tarr did well to block a Jenkins thunderbolt and the resultant rebound from Green, who was desperately unlucky not to open his account in his best performance of the season, particularly as he again nearly scored on 57 minutes, beating two defenders before finding the side-netting.
A minute later County did make it three, Green laying the ball back to Davies, whose bobbling 20-yard effort wrong-footed Tarr and bounced in off the post. County continued to press for more goals after scoring the third, although their tempo understandably dipped, Fisken three times coming close with decent long-range efforts, and Hughes almost curling home a 25-yard free kick.
County were given a late scare when Green was forced to limp out of the game with a knee injury, though physio John Fitzgerald reported afterwards that he expects the frontman to be fit to face Welling.
Youngster Tyrone Toppar, 17, who signed a new contract with the club on Monday, was given a late run-out as County cruised home to a vital victory that lifts them above both the Magpies - who go bottom - and Carshalton.
* County's youth side completed a superb day by winning 4-0 at Hereford in a Football League Youth Alliance fixture, courtesy of goals from Mark Griffiths (two) Danny Brimfield and Dale Evans.
County: Pennock, Williams, T Evans, Jenkins, Edwards, Hillier, Bowen, Davies, Green (O'Sullivan 74), Hughes, Fisken (Toppar 84). Subs not used: Bater, Warton, Bradley. Booked: Williams 22 (foul), Hillier 63 (foul).
Maidenhead: Tarr, Johnson, Parsons, Elsegood (Glynn 46), Gallen (Whiteman 65), Porter, Smith, Ashe, Newman, Bradshaw, Hughes. Subs not used: Badu, Lunn, Stevenson.
Booked: Glynn 65 (foul) and Porter 78 (foul).
Referee: M Philpott (Falmouth). Attendance: 625.
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