Premier Division

Raunds Town  2    Newport Pagnell Town  4

Saturday, 26 January 2008

Newport halted a run of eight consecutive defeats with this Kiln Park success which kept the Shopmates in the thick of the relegation battle.

Richard Armstrong put Newport in front after 25 minutes converting a Drew Mitten centre, but seven minutes later Raunds levelled through Scott Manning who converted a cross from the right.

Martin Kelly struck the bar for the visitors while both sides had goals ruled out for offside before the interal.

Teenage striker Mitten was the Swans' second half matchwinner. He restored the visitors' lead after 64 minutes with a header and added a third for Newport six minutes later, outpacing the defence and lobbing keeper Phil Turner.

Dane Ridgway's 72nd minute penalty hauled Raunds back into contention but Mitten wrapped up the Swans' success with his hat trick goal ten minutes from time after Turner parried a Rob Macdonald effort.

Raunds: Phil Turner, James Willmott (Ben Allington), Jamie Russell, Marcus Wharton, David Coales, Ricky Chambers (Lee Howard), Dane Ridgway, Josh Davis, Scott Manning, Matthew Woods, Matt Pinnock.

Newport: Stuart Dorrill, Joe Bigo, Rob Tapp, Mark Bone, Lee Tinsley, Andy Cleere (Karl Kiernan), Scott Mulkern, Richard Armstrong, Rob Macdonald, Drew Mitten, Martin Kelly.