Newport Count 1, Eastbourne Borough 1

A rare headed goal from Matt Crabb ensured Eastbourne Borough came away from Newport with a deserved point.

Crabb was thrown into the action on the hour and four minutes later he powered home Pat Harding's cross to level after Andy Gurney had given the home side the lead in the first-half.

In appalling conditions, neither side were able to string passes together but, with a play-off spot at stake, Newport looked nervy and Borough lacked an attacking edge.

The home side took the lead on 27 minutes with the very first shot of the game.

Gurney capitalised on some slack defending, cut inside and rifled a decent low finish in off Lee Hook's near post.

It looked to be 2-0 three minutes later. Lee Jarman's header crashed off the crossbar and was bundled home but the referee blew for a foul on Hook.

Harding had Borough's best chance but his close-range effort was expertly cleared off the line by Damon Searle.

The second half was much brighter as Borough searched for the equaliser. Paul Armstrong fired at the keeper from long range before Crabb levelled with his sublime header.

Newport's Charlie Griffin had a header ruled out for offside and Harding's powerful volley stung the hands of Glyn Thompson as the game went from end to end.

In a desperate search for the winner, Newport threw on the big guns of Justin Alsop and Germaine Clarke but Garry Wilson's men held out for the draw.

Eastbourne: Hook, Baker, Jenkins, Budd, Ballard, Douglas, Harding, Armstrong, Treleavan, Nathan Crabb, Lovett. Subs: Matt Crabb, Sam Crabb, Wilde, Archibald, Lightwood.