Newport were beaten at Beatrice Avenue by Fleetlands to drift further from the playoff positions.
Port started the game without 1st team regulars Josh Younie, Joe Craig and Michael Thompsett. In came capable Ventnor defender Neo Lamb, with Ollie Linington getting his first start.
Newport began the game on the front foot with Joe Butcher breaking through into the penalty area in the 4th minute but failing to deliver the final product and Kai Grace heading over the crossbar from close to the goal line.
The Coptermen took the lead in the 9th minute through centre forward Nathan Gray, who buried a loose ball in the back of the net after Port keeper Pitman could only parry a shot on goal.
Port continued to press, with the ball rolling across the face of the goal in the 12th minute, without finding the final touch.
The home side were desperately unlucky on the half-hour mark when a Fleetlands defender twice handled the ball in the penalty area with no spot kick given.
The half ended with Fleetlands keeper Kramer stopping a powerful strike from Joe Butcher.
Half time: Newport IW 0-1 Fleetlands
The 2nd half began with Butcher mishitting the ball from 5 yards from the goal and Ji Nash having a shot saved by Kramer.
The Coptermen then had a succession of chances, blasting the ball over the crossbar, forcing Pitman into a good save and shooting the ball across the face of the goal.
Port brought on their substitutes, with Henry West, Brad Young, Matt Oatley and Luca Weeks coming onto the field.
In the 76th minute, Butcher again came close to finding the equalising goal, but failed to make clean contact inside the 6-yard box.
The game ended with a clash of heads between Butcher and Kramer, with both players recovering to see out the final few minutes of injury time.
Full time: Newport IW 0-1 Fleetlands
Newport IW: Pitman, Grace, Lamb, Walsh, Watterson (c), Holbrook, Nash, Catania, Conway, Butcher, Linington Subs: Young, West, Oatley, Weeks, Foster Man-of-the-match: Neo Lamb
Port’s defeat leaves them 7th in Wessex Division 1, 6 points behind Fleetland. A win would have seen Newport ascend to the playoff positions, as 5th-placed Hamworthy United cannot be promoted this season.
PHOTOS:
EAST COWES VICTORIA DEFEATED FOR 3RD TIME IN 4 GAMES
Promotion-chasing Vics were beaten by a 2-goal margin on a difficult pitch by Amesbury Town .
Manager Alex Smith was forced to make changes, with Liam Triggs injured and Harrison Yates,, Scott Jones, Morgan Perrin and Adam Voller unavailable.
Gareth Bricknell was drafted in at full back.
With the game in doubt early in the morning, the pitch was declared fit before kick off.
Vics started quickly, with Zak Sullivan firing wide in the first minute. Josh Neale had an effort saved on 3 minutes.
Amesbury took the lead in the 14th minute when a long punt up field fell to Ben Morrris, who looped a speculative effort over Fraser Law in the Vics goal (1-0).
Amesbury then sat deep and made things difficult for the Victorians. With the pitch turning into a quagmire, the only real effort for both sides for the remainder of the half came from Aedan Coode, whose effort from 20 yards sailed wide.
Half time: Amesbury Town 1-0 East Cowes Victoria
Vics needed to improve in the 2nd half, but the state of the pitch favoured Amesbury, who relied on the long ball. The East Cowes side were unable to play their normal passing game and looked a shadow of what they are capable of.
Amesbury increased their lead on 65 minutes when a hopeful ball across the 18-yard box was miscontrolled by Jordan Chapman and fell to Harry Hale, who sent a 20-yard screamer flying into the top corner of the goal (2-0).
Vics struggled to create anything and were reduced to 10 men when Jordan Chapman was sin binned on 78 minutes, his reaction prompting the referee to pull out a red card and send the young midfielder off.
With both sets of players struggling with weary legs and the pitch turning into a squelching bog, the game was – at this point – overas a contest, with Amesbury running out deserved winners.
Full time: Amesbury Town 1-0 East Cowes Victoria
East Cowes Victoria: Law, Snow, Bricknell, Newbold, Wheeler, Sullivan, Chapman, Boyd-Kerr, Reynolds, Coode, J. Neale Subs: C. Neale, Hart, Stone, Turner, Triggs
The Victorians remain in 4th place in Wessex Division 1, 15 points behind leaders New Milton Town but with 4 games in hand.
Wessex Div 1 table (top 10) below:
