Crawley 0, Newport 1: Crawley are suffering from a crisis of confidence, according to manager Billy Smith.

A rare error by goalkeeper Andy Little condemned Crawley to their fifth match without a win at Broadfield Stadium on Saturday.

A month ago, with a ten-point lead at the top of the Dr Martens premier, Reds were hot favourites for promotion. Now they are third, four points behind leaders Tamworth and their hopes of a place in the Conference are fading fast.

The goals they plundered so freely in the early stages of the season have dried up.

Smith said: "It is a confidence factor. Virtually every game we have played lately we have been a goal behind and have had to bounce back.

"We want to get in front and build the confidence. We have been losing by the odd goal, it is not as though we have been annihilated. It has certainly been frustrating."

Martin Paul capitalised on Little's blunder to head the winner after 14 minutes.

The Crawley goalkeeper failed to hold on to a shot by Steve Cowe from the edge of the area and the ball fell invitingly for Paul who made no mistake.

Little, so consistent this season, prevented it getting worse for Crawley by pushing a well-struck shot by Jeff Eckhardt on to the crossbar, but the damage had been done.

Smith said: "Andy has played really well this season, but he was responsible for the goal.

"One or two mistakes are creeping into our game. It doesn't help the confidence. We have a young side and I think the pressure is getting to them. A lot of the players haven't been in this position before and it shows.

"They took the lead we couldn't get back into it. We hit the post and in the second half. We huffed and puffed without knocking in any chances."

But Smith refuses to admit defeat in the promotion race.

He said: "Our form has dropped a bit but the signs are there that we will come back.

"We still have a lot to play for. There is no point giving up. That's not the case and we have 11 games to play and I'm going to try and win them all."

Smith hopes new-signing Gez Murphy can play a part. Murphy, 25, who has joined on a month's loan from Conference title-chasers Boston United, impressed on his debut against Newport.

He came closest to equalising when a low shot from outside the area rebounded off the inside of Pat Mountain's left-hand post and away to safety in the 27th minute.

Smith was pleased with his new man's contribution.

He said: "Murphy showed some good signs. He was a handful. If we could give him the ammunition we would have scored. Every time he was on the ball he looked a threat. You can tell he has been training full-time with Boston."

Reds tried valiantly to get back into the game but despite 13 minutes of injury-time, rarely looked likely to score.

Smith went for an attacking line-up with winger Nigel Brake back in the team and had plenty of fire power on the bench with Warren Bagnall and Rob Collins among the substitutes.

Even the second-half introduction of the attacking duo failed to spark Crawley into life and top scorer Danny Carroll was carried off after being hit on the head by a fiercely hit free-kick.

Smith said: "Danny took a whack but he is all right."

Crawley midfielder Dave Harlow added: "We need a lucky break to turn the corner.

"I think the lads are too young to get nervous but the longer you go without a win the harder it becomes to settle down.

"We were doing so well but our lead disappeared over a fortnight last month.

"We didn't play a league game for two weeks after the Welling defeat and I don't think that did us any favours at all.

"We lost a bit of sharpness and we have not looked the same since.

"There is still a possibility of going up but I think we need to win ten of our remaining 11 games."