Newport County 0-4 Crawley Town: Exiles comprehensively beaten by Crawley

Crawley Town players celebrate Dion Conroy's early opener at Newport

Crawley Town boosted their League Two play-off hopes with a 4-0 win which all but ended Newport's own ambitions.

County made the worst possible start inside the opening minute when Dion Conroy side footed a volley past Nick Townsend.

Will Evans had a chance for Newport before Ronan Darcy cut into the area and slotted home a second.

Laurence Maguire and Adam Campbell's stoppage time goal sealed a comprehensive win.

Scott Lindsey's side move up to seventh and the final play-off spot while County are seven points behind them in 13th.

Newport County manager Graham Coughlan said: "Yes you can make excuses and yes you can say we're missing a number of players and are missing leaders.

"You can't concede goals like we're conceding. You can't concede set piece goals like we're conceding. So obviously there's a fundamental problem there somewhere.

"I can't go out on the pitch and defend set pieces for them. They have to step up and do it themselves. But there's a weakness there."