There really is no stopping Newport County in Blue Square South – even the bookmakers` think they`ve already won the title! And Saturday`s 3-1 win at bottom-markers Weymouth moved Dean Wordsworth`s Exiles and amazing twenty-four points clear of
Kerry Morgan put the leaders in front as early as the 3rd minute and things didn`t look good for the Terras.
However, a combination of a battling performance from the home side and some missed opportunities meant it was another 72 minutes before the next goal arrived – and it went to Weymouth with a Josh Llewellyn leveller.
But parity lasted barely a minute as Danny Rose restored Newport`s lead and then Sam Foley made sure with a third 6 minutes from time.
Chelmsford are a distant second, but consolidated their play-off hopes with a 3-0 Melbourne Park win over Bishop`s Storford, who had Max Lette Jallow sent-off after 67 minutes.
Earlier Matthew Lock put the hosts ahead after 13 minutes and Ricky Holmes doubled that 6 minutes before half time.
Rob Edmans made sure for Glenn Pennyfather`s side with number three with 19 minutes remaining.
It was a mised afternoon for the other play-off contenders, with two of them, Bath City and Thurrock, meeting at Twerton Park where the home side triumphed, thanks to a 38th minute Darren Edwards effort.
Two more, Woking and Staines Town, shared a goalless Kingfield encounter, while that was the same outcome for two others, Dover Athletic and Braintree Town, when they met at Crabble.
Eastleigh are showing inconsistent form and their 1-0 defeat at the Sparshatts Stadium catapulted victors St Albans City into contention themselves – Drew Roberts scoring the only goal after 12 minutes.
The division below Newport has really tightened up, and even Havant & Waterlooville in thirteenth place have hopes of making the play-offs.
However, they went down to a 1-0 defeat at another of the outsiders, Welling United, whose Lee Clarke scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot in the 8th minute.
However, the Hawks spent the second half with only nine men following the dismissal of Ian Selley and Mustafa Tirayaki.
Hampton & Richmond Borough earned a crucial three points fron their basement battle at St George`s Lane against Worcester City, who also finished with ten-men after Rob Elvins was sent-off at the end.
Barrie Matthews scored the only goal from the spot with 6 minutes to go.
And like Weymouth, Weston-super-Mare are looking like needing snookers to avoid the drop after going down to a morale-sapping 4-1 defeat at the Woodspring Stadium to Maidenhead United.
And the Seagulls led too through Danny Burnell`s 9th minute penalty, only to be pegged back in the second half with goals from Bobby Behzadi on the hour-mark, a Kieron St Aime brace on 70 and 75 minutes and Ross Wall in stoppage time.
Lewes, however, are still in there battling and are now four points adrift of fourth-bottom Worcester with a game in hand after earning a point from a 1-1 draw at the Camrose against Basingstoke Town, whose Jide Ogunbote cancelled out Joe Keehan`s early 4th minute opener for the Rooks 4 minutes into the second half.
