NEWPORT County's battle to beat the drop in the Conference South received a massive boost on Saturday, thanks to an excellent win over a dreadful Basingstoke Town.

County kept their first clean sheet in 12 games (almost 1,000 minutes) and could have scored a hatful of goals in an incredibly one-sided contest that their supporters can take great heart from.

As bad as the visitors were, Newport were excellent and professional from start to finish, with individual players impressing all over the park.

Boss Peter Beadle stuck with the same defence that performed so well at Bognor last week, and once again new man John Brough was a monumental presence, winning everything in the air and barking instructions like the captain he so clearly is.

Brough is the kind of no-nonsense defender who can flourish in non-league football. He even wore short sleeves on a freezing afternoon, he is nothing short of inspirational.

But where County needed a captain's performance they got two - Jason Bowen had his best game for months on Saturday and worked himself into the ground.

In one of Basingstoke's better attacks in the second half it was Bowen who charged back and he made two vital blocks. Any questions about his pride and commitment have gone out of the window after this display.

If Bowen was impressive on the right, then his old chum, Andy Legg, on the left of midfield was sensational.

Legg gave County the balance their midfield has needed all season and his understanding and reading of the game are superb.

Not only that, but Legg might as well be throwing live grenades into the opposition penalty area every time he takes a throw-in, such is the panic his incredible throws cause in opposition penalty boxes.

County were in control of the contest almost from the kick-off and should have been ahead before Bowen's 15th-minute opener.

On 11 minutes Legg unleashed one of his thunderous throws, which Bowen clipped back into the area where Gary Fisken headed against the inside of the post.

However, four minutes later and County did take the lead with a goal right off the training pitch at Ninian Park. (Or St Andrews, or Swansea, or Reading!)

Bowen and Legg have had a kind of Bert and Ernie existence throughout their careers, they have been together at five different clubs and seem to enjoy an almost telepathic understanding, which was much to County's benefit.

The goal came as Bowen motored into space after winning the ball himself; he switched the ball to Legg, whose pinpoint cross found Bowen on the charge and he dinked the ball over goalkeeper Stuart Searle in typical fashion.

County continued to attack with purpose, with the visitors threatening very little, even though they had the wind behind them.

On 33 minutes County doubled their lead, Basingstoke failed to clear after Bowen's endeavour earned the visitors a throw-in rather than a goalkick and when the ball was scrambled across the area, Craig Hughes pounced, firing across Searle and finding the net via the post and a deflection off defender Scott Smith.

It was no less than County deserved, and with the wind behind them in the second half the contest was as good as over.

Some outrageous refereeing decisions from man in black Paul Stowe was the only downside. He ludicrously booked Matt Green for an innocuous-looking challenge that he didn't even see, he was facing in the opposite direction.

Goalkeeper Tony Pennock had no busier afternoon than any member of the Spytty Park faithful - the veteran stopper has been great for County this season, but he was nothing more than a spectator on Saturday.

Basingstoke signed a trio of Argentineans in the week and two of them, Pablo Pedrotti and Miguel Basualdo, made debuts upfront on Saturday.

Pedrotti was not up to the mark and Basualdo was withdrawn at half-time, lucky not to have been sent off. As double Argentinean signings go, this pair aren't exactly Rikki Villa and Ossie Ardiles!

Livewire Craig Hughes forced a double save from Searle on 75 minutes, with Basingstoke forcing their best opportunity moments later, which resulted in Bowen's double block, apparently a great source of amusement in the home dressing-room after the game!

Beadle gave Sam O'Sullivan and striker Nathan Bailey late run-outs, though it was the emotional return to action of Andrew Thomas that got the Spytty faithful off their feet. He came on at right back with 12 minutes remaining and never put a foot wrong.

Hughes forced another save from Searle with nine minutes remaining, and O'Sullivan almost sealed the victory with a super jinxing run with five minutes left, but after waltzing past the defence and shimmying past the goalkeeper, he could only find the side-netting.

Craig Hughes' delightful injury-time chip beat the 'keeper, but just missed the far post as County comfortably held on for an absolutely vital victory - one that lifts them off the bottom of the Conference South - and should give their supporters great heart that a 'great escape' is once again on the cards.

County: Pennock, A Williams, Cochlin, Brough, Hillier, Bowen, Fisken (Thomas 78), Davies, Legg (O'Sullivan 74), Green (Bailey 83), Hughes. Subs not used: Bater, Blackburn. Booked: Brough (foul 7), Green (foul 23).

Basingstoke: Searle, Heath (Dolan 77), Molyneaux, Bristow, Smith, Surey, Ray (Cook 46), Hemmings, Pedrotti, Basualdo (McKay 46), Taylor. Booked: Basualdo (foul 42).

Referee: Paul Stowe (Evesham). Attendance: 504.