NEWPORT County's battle to beat the drop in the Conference South was dented yesterday after high-flyers Farnborough edged their way to a scarcely deserved victory.

County lost out to a classy outfit because of two individual errors and can count themselves unlucky to have lost a game that they deserved a point from.

In a sense it was a game too far for Peter Beadle's charges, who faced a long trip to Histon on Saturday whereas the visitors played at home on Good Friday and enjoyed a weekend of rest.

County had been unbeaten in their last seven after stunning Histon with a sensational comeback over the weekend and now need four points from their final two games to guarantee survival.

A lifeless first half was a disappointment for County's largest crowd of the season, as the visitors 'parked the bus' as Senor Mourinho would say.

Craig Hughes fired just wide on 11 minutes after strong work by Matt Green and Green himself almost scored from a corner on 40 minutes, Farnborough keeper Kevin Scriven producing a good stop.

But the contest came alive early in the second half after an unfortunate error from former Farn-borough keeper Tony Pennock.

Pennock was the victim as the dreadful Spytty Park surface finally caught up with County, gifting the visitors a freak opener.

A tame effort from defender Jay Gasson on 47 minutes bobbled in front of Pennock, bouncing off his chin before almost apologetically crawling over the line, leaving him with (Easter) egg on his face.

On 58 minutes it got worse, striker Carl Gibbs collected the ball after decent approach play and jinked past Paul Cochlin, who brought him down for a clear penalty.

Pennock almost made amends for his error, diving the right way and getting his hands to Ashley Sestanovich's spot-kick, but the ball squirmed in under his body, leaving County with a mountain to climb.

Credit to the players in that they didn't throw in the towel, and while the visitors always looked like they could nick a third and decisive goal, it was County who dominated in the final 30 minutes.

Pennock saved well from Gasson and Warren McBean, but Scriven was the busier. He would have been helpless to save two Hughes headers that just missed the target and he couldn't have been more unlucky with County's goal.

A Fisken corner was firmly headed by substitute Matt Prosser, but Scriven made a sensational save, acrobatically tipping the ball away.

However, Scriven's defenders failed to clear and Ian Hillier headed at goal, where skipper Mark Rooney blocked the ball on the line with his hand.

Referee Ian Hamilton, who gave an irritatingly fussy display, had no hesitation in awarding the penalty or sending off Rooney and Jason Bowen stroked home the spot-kick.

Beadle had already switched to a front three by introducing Prosser and Nathan Bailey was soon part of a four-man attack.

Bowen's volley on 88 minutes was brilliantly cleared by Gasson on the line and Prosser and Hillier both saw shots blocked.

Cochlin missed a tricky chance from point blank range in injury time after Prosser rifled a cross and the substitute just failed to turn home a delicious Hillier cross as the visitors just about held on in a nervy six minutes of injury time.

County now travel to Cambridge City on Saturday knowing they are still far from safe, though their destiny is still in their own hands.

County: Pennock, Thomas (Bailey 88), Cochlin, Davies, Brough, Hillier, Bowen, Fisken, Green, Hughes, O'Sullivan (Prosser 75). Subs not used: Toppar, Bradley, Hearne. Booked: Davies (foul, 61)

Farnborough: Scriven, Allen-Page, Townsend, Rooney, Gasson, Smith, Sestanovich, McBean (Pattison 83), Gibbs, Laidler, Canham. Subs not used: Smith, Harkness, Charles, Ciardini. Booked: None, Sent off: Rooney (deliberate handball, 81)

Attendance: 1059 Referee: Ian Hamilton (Cheltenham)