Jamie O'Rourke made one goal and scored another on his debut but could not stop Newport IoW losing 3-2 against Ashford in Kent.

Island boy O'Rourke returned to his roots from Havant & Waterlooville last week and Danny Rofe converted a cross from the front man to give Steve Tate's side the lead.

But then a mistake by goalkeeper Joe McCormack gifted the home team an equaliser and Ashford ensured a half-time lead with a 30-yard free-kick.

Ashford increased their lead in controversial circumstances after the break when McCormack picked up the ball after a tackle by Adam Llaing that the referee deemed to be a pass back. O'Rourke bundled the ball home from close range on 78 minutes to narrow Ashford's advantage but, for all their pressure, the Islanders could not find an equaliser.

After his sixth game in charge, Tate said: "When the manager of Ashford says you deserved to win, you know you've done all right.

"I couldn't ask any more of my players. They were all exceptional and we were by far the better side. The referee was the only person in the ground who thought that they should have had the indirect free-kick from which they scored the third goal.

"It was never a pass back but I'm not going to grumble, that was his interpretation.

"We bombarded them after we got the second but just couldn't get the equaliser."

Mark Dennis and Adie Aymes suffered their second successive defeat as Fleet's co-managers after conceding an 86th-minute goal in a 2-1 reverse at Eastbourne - but it was nothing to do with lack of fitness.

Dennis and Aymes could not believe the poor stamina levels in the Fleet side after their first game in charge last week.

But, after giving debuts to former Basingstoke goalkeeper Simon Arthur, 19, and midfielder Jamie Ball, Dennis said: "Our application was first class and the reason we conceded a goal late on was because we were waiting for a foul to be given after one of our players was stamped on.

"We are very lightweight up front but Stuart Finlay scored a sensational equaliser, a cross-shot after cutting inside, and we really deserved a point.

"We were guilty of some sloppy defending for their first goal but we're pleased with the performance. Eastbourne will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season and we matched them."