Pat Harding insists Eastbourne Borough are getting back to their best in time to take the play-offs by storm.

Borough's hard fought 1-1 draw at Newport County confirmed their second place finish and takes their unbeaten run to three matches.

With the key quartet of Andy Atkin, Marc Pullan, Matt Smart and Ben Austin almost ready to return, attacking midfielder Harding believes their momentum could take them to play-off glory.

He said: "It's just about getting our form back since we lost our way a bit. We are getting some momentum going, we are winning games and picking up draws when we need to.

"It is nice to confirm second place but we are still disappointed not to win the league.

"We have some players coming back from injury and suspensions and I think we can can be confident about playing the team in fifth for the play-offs."

A rare headed goal from Matt Crabb earned Borough a point. Crabb was thrown into the action on the hour and just four minutes later he powered home Harding's pinpoint cross to the level the scores after Andy Gurney had given the home side a first-half lead.

With Newport one of seven teams still chasing two remaining play-off spots, the pressure was firmly on the Welshmen. They looked nervy but other than a few Andy Ballard long throws into the box Borough offered little attacking threat.

After a dull opening the home side took the lead with the first shot on target when sloppy defending allowed Gurney to cut in from the right and rifle home a low shot in off Lee Hook's near post.

It was almost 2-0 three minutes later when giant defender Lee Jarman's header crashed against the crossbar and was bundled home but the referee cut short the celebrations when he blew for a foul on Hook.

Harding was a key man for Boro throughout. He started on the left but looked more threatening when he switched flanks with Jay Lovett and on 37 minutes his close-range effort was cleared off the line by Damon Searle.

Borough were more adventurous after the interval and were rewarded when Harding teed up Crabb to head the equaliser.

Borough: Hook, Baker, Jenkins (sub Archibald 60), Budd, Ballard, Douglas, Harding, Lovett, Armstrong, Treleaven (sub M. Crabb 60), N. Crabb (sub S. Crabb 75). Subs not used: Wilde, Lightwood.