There are games you lose in difficult conditions when the cliches come out in explanation for the defeat.  The conditions at the Camrose were certainly difficult and players had to display the balance of gymnasts at times, while adjusting their game to cope with the driving wind that accelerated the process of gravity as each team enjoyed 45 minutes kicking down the slope.  The conditions do not even begin to explain this defeat however, as County gave arguably their most fluent football performance of the season in the first half and followed it with their most insipid display after the break.

The usual Amber Army was reduced in size because of morning suspicion that the game would not take place, but there were at least 150 fans who set off for Hampshire as successive inspections reported ‘so far so good’.  The pitch was certainly playable however as the rain eased as kick off time approached and Steve Jenkins won an important toss to gain the first half advantage of playing with the wind and down the hill.

County immediately took a vice-like grip on the game and after a lovely fourth minute interchange between Jason Bowen and Jenkins, the visiting skipper hit a cross for Julian Alsop to give a classic demonstration of the centre forward’s art by timing his run to power a header into the bottom corner of the net.  However referee Carl Brook thought otherwise and ruled out what appeared a perfectly good goal.  The inevitable was merely delayed however as County stroked the ball around in style and LEE FOWLER hit an exquisite chip shot from outside the area over the stranded Nick Hamann to give County a 10th minute lead.

The Exiles continued to control the game and dictate the tempo and though a second goal looked necessary to take full advantage of the elements, it was not forthcoming, and the home side started to show as an attacking force for the first time as the interval approached with efforts from Sean Hankin and Ben Wells needed saving by Glyn Thompson.  There was concern that County had not established the margin of lead that their superior football should have ensured by half-time and it was inevitable that Basingstoke would be more assertive after the break.

County therefore came out for the second half with the words of their manager warning them to expect an early onslaught, so it was inexplicable that they caved in so miserably.  Basingstoke took a grip on midfield that the hardworking Nathan Davies tried to resist, while Mark Dodds, enjoying a rare league outing, used his pace to good effect to clear up at the back.  But with County unable to get their passing game going, Basingstoke camped in the Newport half.

When the dangerous right-winger Wells fired a 50th minute cross back into the danger area after a corner had been partially cleared, central defender JASON BRISTOW was unchallenged and his diving header gave Thompson no chance.  The hard-tackling Steve Laidler was starting to dominate the midfield for the Dragons and County were looking extremely lightweight, with their trio of playmakers, Bowen, Fowler and Richard Evans largely peripheral by now.

A defensive mix-up landed Damon Searle in trouble on the hour and the left-back appeared to use his hand to knock the bouncing ball, leading Mr Brook to point to the spot.  The referee then appeared to get his cards muddled and it looked from the grandstand as if the red and not the yellow one had been shown to Searle, before TYRON SMITH hit an excellent penalty to beat the dive of Thompson who had guessed the direction of the shot correctly.

Fowler forced a diving save from Hamann in the 72nd minute before Peter Beadle decided to gamble and replace Alsop and Evans with Charlie Griffin and Jermaine Clarke, switching to a narrower 4-2-1-3 formation with Bowen playing behind Hughes, Clarke and Griffin.  The move might have paid dividends though an appalling piece of refereeing stopped a dangerous move in its tracks when Mr Brook brought play back 20 yards to book Ben Surey for an off the ball body check on Bowen that had the visiting fans screaming for red.  The punishment was correct but the decision to bring play back was not in keeping with the referee’s generally very good application of the advantage law.

Mr Brook then had another judgement call that, though correct, did not please County fans when he cautioned Hamann for handling outside the area, and as away pressure grew, Clarke found the wrong side of the net from a near post header from a throw-in.  Basingstoke looked happy to hang on but gained a flattering breakaway third goal in the 85th minute when the enterprising Wells forced a decent diving save from Thompson before chasing down the loose ball and crossing for JAMES TAYLOR to have an easy tap-in.

Clarke then had a header tipped over before failing to connect with the ball deep into injury time when a Hughes shot had crept beyond Hamann.  The victory puts Basingstoke level on 30 points with County, who dropped out of the play-off zone and the small home crowd celebrated at the end with joy unconfined.  The visiting fans crept away to nurse their concerns.  Christmas shopping suddenly seemed a worthwhile use of weekend leisure time.

Man of the Match: Basingstoke: Ben Wells (effective crossing and dangerous wing play).

                                County: Mark Dodds (held the defence together when County were under pressure).

Special mention:  The Basingstoke groundsman.  The pitch held up very well in the circumstances.