The County top scorer took his tally to 25 for the season with a first half double and, despite missing out again on his elusive first hat-trick for the club, he mesmerised the Borough defence throughout.  It is almost 25 years since a Newport striker similarly excited the fans with such thrilling thrusting forward runs - and the previous one didn’t do too badly for himself.  And if such comparisons are extravagant, Guppy’s display in this game was reminiscent of the great man himself! 

 

Eastbourne suffered an early blow when their left-back Neil Jenkins was injured and had to be replaced after just six minutes.  Surprisingly, considering that full-back Dominic Douglas was on the bench, Eastbourne boss Garry Wilson’s choice of replacement was striker Scott Ramsay with midfielder Jay Lovett dropping into defence.  Ramsay has been a thorn in County’s defence in past meetings, but in this game he was off the pace and ineffective.

 

Sam O’Sullivan’s 18th minute effort was just off target, but the pressure was building and when Ian Hillier headed Bowen’s corner forward two minutes later, HUGHES had taken up a position inside the six-yard box and was able to chest down the ball and turn and fire past Lee Hook in the visitors’ goal.  Allan Tait squandered a chance to equalise within a minute but County looked comfortable until Eastbourne had a 10 minute spell on top as half-time approached.

 

Ramsay had two half chances but his finishing was feeble and HUGHES showed him how it’s done with a sensational 25 yard effort when he received the ball with his back to goal in the 44th minute and hit a dipping screamer of a shot that dipped over Hook to finish in the roof of the net.  O’Sullivan followed up with another good effort but the second goal had given County a tight grip on the game, knocked the fight out of Eastbourne and set up a second half performance which will live in the memory.

 

It was astonishing to consider that the game was just 48 hours after County had been given a hard game almost 200 miles away in Essex by Thurrock, and it says much for the work of the backroom team led by physio Tommy Cosh that the players looked in such excellent condition.  Nathan Davies returned after being rested for the Thurrock encounter and he was just the same as he has been in his previous 300 games for County, while alongside Lee Collier had one of his best games yet in an amber shirt.  At the back skipper John Brough offered his usual drive and determination despite shaking off a knock in the second half and described his own performance as being “not bad for a pensioner.”

 

Jacob Giles made decent saves from Tait and Paul Armstrong but the focus of the action was at the other end of the field.  With another four-figure attendance roaring County on, Griffin forced a smart save from Hook from a Bowen corner on the left before a Hughes shot extended the keeper who could only push the ball into the path of O’SULLIVAN who scored County’s third.

 

Hook made an excellent stop to keep out a Hughes header in the 78th minute but when County’s ‘Roy of the Rovers’ ran past him two minutes later, he brought him down and the red card was inevitable.  The fans were calling for Guppy to take the penalty but spot-kick king BOWEN grabbed the ball and, with Borough goalkeeping coach Dean Lightwood donning the keeper’s shocking pink jersey, the former Welsh international rolled the ball into the corner of the net in his inimitable style for his ninth penalty success of the season.

 

There were more chances for Hughes and Bowen but no more goals.  County have a massive psychological advantage for the return game in Sussex on 24 April, but before then there is the tricky trip to Sutton on Saturday to be negotiated.  With one home game to come, County have won 15 league games at Fortress Spytty and scored 51 goals in the process, while Eastbourne became the seventh Conference South team to concede at least four to the Exiles.

 

Line-ups

County: Giles, Jenkins, Searle, Davies (Simpson 82), Brough, Hillier, Bowen, Collier, Griffin (Holdsworth 82), Hughes, O’Sullivan (Evans 87).  Subs not used: Alsop, Ovendale.

 

Eastbourne: Hook, Baker, Jenkins (Ramsay 6), McArthur, Austin, Pullan, Lovett, Armstrong, Atkin (Wilde 71), Tait (Lightwood 81), Harding.  Sub not used: Douglas.

 

Scorers: County: Hughes 2 (20, 44), O’Sullivan (69), Bowen (82 pen)

Cautions: County: Griffin (77)

Sent off: Eastbourne: Hook (80)

 

Man of the Match: County: Craig Hughes

                                  Eastbourne: Lee Hook

 

Referee: Derek Eaton (Tewkesbury)

Assistants: Paul Stowe, Mark Daniel

 

Attendance: 1,051

 

Match rating: 5/5