Eastbourne Borough boss Garry Wilson refused to be downbeat after seeing his side knocked off the top of Conference south by arch rivals Lewes.

Borough scrapped out a frustrating goalless stalemate against fellow high-fliers Newport County at Priory Lane last night.

They were overtaken at the summit by the Rooks following their 5-1 drubbing of Bishop's Stortford.

Wilson said: "A few of the lads had their heads down after the game but I told them not to. We are unbeaten in 16 games now, we got a point against a very good side and kept a clean sheet.

"I'm looking at it very positively because there is a lot of football to be played and we have not lost any real ground.

"Newport came for a point and we didn't have that piece of magic we needed on the night to break them down but on another day it could have been different."

Wilson called for a big response from his players before the game following Saturday's FA Trophy exit at King's Lynn.

He got it in the opening stages as Borough piled on the pressure and they could have been two up after ten minutes.

Scott Ramsay dragged a shot just past a post from the edge of the box after linking up well with strike partner Allan Tait.

The former Albion frontman then squandered another shooting opportunity when he failed to get a clean connection from Tait's cross.

The Welshmen had another scare moments later when defender Damon Searle came within inches of scoring an own goal after nodding a Neil Jenkins centre over the bar.

Newport had arrived in third place following a run of one defeat in their previous ten league games but it was hard to see why.

Although Borough's early dominance faded, the visitors lacked the flair and creativity to carve out clear scoring chances, with most of their attacks predictably involving long balls to big targetman Julian Alsop.

Recalled defender Marc Pullan proved more than a match for Alsop in the air and Borough's defence was rarely threatened before the break.

Wilson's side regained control at the end of the half and again went close when Tait ran onto a long punt by keeper Lee Hook. He bravely got his head to the ball before onrushing Newport stopper Glyn Thompson, who managed to make a block to safety.

Newport improved after the interval but it was the hosts who almost made the breakthrough during a spell of pressure ten minutes into the restart.

Matt Crabb had a goalbound effort blocked at point blank range by Lee Jarman. Ben Austin then had a header from Crabb's corner cleared off the line by Steve Jenkins.

With news of Lewes' first-half goal-blitz filtering through, the home fans began to vent their frustration when Borough wasted two more openings.

Tait had an angled shot saved at the near post and groans rung out again when Ramsay blasted high over soon after.

Borough were almost made to pay on 72 minutes when Craig Hughes got to a cross ahead of Darren Baker and side-footed a fraction wide.

Wilson introduced Nathan Crabb and the nippy striker created a good chance for fellow substitute Andy Atkin who fired wide.

Borough: Hook, Baker, Jenkins, Smart, Austin, Pullan, Lovett (Harding 77), Armstrong, Ramsay (N Crabb 77), Tait (Atkin 81), Matt Crabb. Unused subs: Wilde, Lightwood.

Newport Co: Thompson, Steve Jenkins, Searle, Davies, Jarman, Hillier, Bowen, Fowler, Alsop (Clarke 79), Hughes, Richard Evans (Griffin 81). Unused subs: Mark Dodds, Ashley Evans, Pennock.

Man of the Match: Marc Pullan. (Eastbourne Borough).