NEWTOWN clawed themselves off the foot of the table, with Steve Blenkinsop netting twice in a crucial victory over Carmarthen Town at Latham Park.
Despite leading by two goals at the interval the visiting Old Gold threatened a second-half comeback, only for Blenkinsop and loan signing Nick Rushton to immediately slam the door shut on their hopes of sharing the spoils.
To compound a miserable afternoon, the visitors saw defender Steve Berry hospitalised with a shoulder injury, while Kieron Howard also saw red in the latter stages of the game.
The Robins faithful sensed their fortunes may be turning, when Jamie Price whipped home an unstoppable 25 yard free-kick after 15 minutes.
Newtown should have doubled the lead moments later, with Rushton denied by the feet of goalkeeper Mike Lewis.
The first-half was a stop and start affair with both sides’ physiotherapists in regular action, with a succession of delays due to head injuries.
When football finally resumed it was Newtown who doubled their lead on 34 minutes, with Blenkinsop racing onto a cute pass from newly installed captain Matty Cook to slot home.
Newtown could have wrapped up victory by half-time with Blenkinsop’s close range volley turned over the bar by Lewis, while Rushton also spurned an opening on the stroke of half-time.
Another clash of heads in the second-half saw Lee Hartshorn collide with home debutant Jermaine Johnson, with the former skipper coming off worse.
Hartshorn was again in the thick of the action near the hour when he impeded Steve Berry in the area, with the resulting penalty converted by Tim Hicks.
However Newtown’s response was immediate as Rushton cut inside, and despite his shot being parried by Lewis, the incoming Blenkinsop netted the loose ball.
Carmarthen were jolted into life with Jack Christopher heading over, before forcing home goalkeeper Nick Thomas into the save of the match with another close range header.
Former Aberystwyth University skipper Geraint Passmore volleyed through a crowded goalmouth on 65 minutes to bring Carmarthen to within sight.
However Newtown once again made the perfect riposte, with Rushton cutting inside from the left to whip a low shot past Lewis to settle the outcome.
There was still time for Johnson to head wide a Price cross, while at the other end Hicks was denied by the woodwork.
Carmarthen’s challenge fell apart late on, as Berry came off with a damaged shoulder, before Howard saw red after a trip on Newtown defender Kevin Davies.
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