NEWPORT County bounced back from the disappointment of losing their proud 20-game unbeaten run with a dogged victory over a decent Basingstoke outfit at Spytty Park on Saturday.

The Exiles can produce far better, especially in attack, where boss Dean Holdsworth may have worries about the form of star men Craig Reid and Sam Foley ahead of this weekend’s vital clash at second-placed Dover Athletic.

However, County are currently imperious at the back, they’ve got more clean sheets than a launderette at the moment and with a squad fit to burst, there is now little reason to suspect Tuesday’s defeat at Staines was anything more than a mere blip.

Change was afoot at Spytty on Saturday with Holdsworth not only rotating his personnel, but more tellingly changing his tactics in a move that has been coming for weeks.

Like virtually every top-flight manager, Holdsworth seems ready to say goodbye to the tried- and-trusted 4-4-2, adopting a less rigid style which the Exiles seem skilled enough to pull off.

County went with a 4-1-4-1 formation, and with the squad overloaded with versatile midfielders and short on out-and-out strikers, this could well be the future for the Exiles.

It’s not about being more or less attacking, it’s simply about the side being hard to break down and more fluid on the break, the boss admitting afterwards that the match had almost served as a training exercise on the pitch.

Wayne Turk was the all-important ‘one’ ahead of the County back four and behind the attacking talent, though his is a role that both the dropped Scott Rogers and Nathan Davies would be able to fill as well.

New boy Jamie Collins came straight into the side in a central role and was joined by Danny Rose, a player who is comfortable both on the flanks and in the middle, the pair combative and lively on Saturday and for my money, County’s stand-out performers.

Charlie Henry and Sam Foley were preferred in the wider roles and swapped positions intermittently, though neither had particularly memorable afternoons, with Craig Reid, the lone marksman, also not quite at his best.

But County are robust and physical, and despite all our fears at the start of the season, one of the most imposing sides in the league at set pieces, both attacking and defending. The fact that Saturday’s winning goal came from a set piece no real surprise to anyone.

The Exiles enjoyed a big slice of luck before the game had even kicked off, talented Basingstoke goalkeeper Ross Kitteridge ruled out by cracking his head open falling off the team bus at Reading Services, creating quite a baptism of fire for stand-in Craig Atkinson.

He fumbled a routine through ball in just the third minute, but Reid, keen to get back on the scoring trail after three games without a goal, wasted the chance, greedily shooting and seeing his effort blocked with Collins free and screaming for the pass that would’ve given him a tap-in.

However, moments later the visitors could’ve been in front, Thompson first denying the impressive David Pratt, before a corner wasn’t dealt with by the Exiles, Fraser Franks’ firm header brilliantly blocked on the line by Rose.

The opening 20 minutes were littered with chances and on 12 minutes Robert Rice and Foley tangled in the penalty area, the ground seemingly divided between those who thought it was a stonewall penalty and a brilliant saving challenge, County wasting the corner as the referee waved away the penalty protests.

Rose and Henry both went close as County continued to press, before a splendid save from Atkinson denied Foley’s thumping 35-yard free kick.

However, ten minutes before half-time County finally made the breakthrough.

The Exiles won a highly dubious free kick when Rice was adjudged to have hacked at Rose, who delivered the ball himself. It was an imperious set piece and impossible to defend, Collins getting the all-important touch on the ball to cap a very impressive debut with the winning goal.

It had been an engaging first period, but County weren’t at the same level in the second half, reliant on their impressive defending to stay ahead as they failed to score the second goal that would have killed their opponents’ belief, not to mention their own nerves.

They were never better illustrated than on 57 minutes when Alton Thelwell’s backpass was sliced horribly by Glyn Thompson, scraping just past the post and wide in an incident that seemed destined to be included on a Christmas football gaffes video hosted by Danny Baker or Jonny Vaughan.

Rose came close again on the hour, Atkinson rushing out and failing to get distance on his clearance, but his 40-yard effort was wide with the goalkeeper stranded.

Holdsworth introduced substitute Kerry Morgan and he did his first-team prospects no harm at all with an excellent cameo appearance, lively, direct and full of pace and trickery, it will be no surprise to see him starting at Dover.

Time was running out on the visitors and they had just one chance left, Thompson punching poorly from a corner and Rice firing through the crowd, but Martyn Giles was on hand to clear the danger.

It was a big moment; County held on and will now head to possibly their biggest rivals for the Conference South title on a winning run once again.

County: Thompson, Bignot, Giles, Turk, Warren, Thelwell, Rose, Collins, Reid (Holgate 89), Foley (Rogers 88), Henry (Morgan 63) Subs not used: Blackburn, Cochlin.

Basingstoke: Atkinson, Rice, Finlay, Franks, Mitchell, Laidler, Ogunbote (Ruggles 88), Rowe (I Jones 80), Pratt, White, Downes Subs not used: Smith, Powell.

Referee: Ryan Atkin (Plymouth).

Attendance: 1,241.

Argus star man: Jamie Collins.