Accrington thump Newport to boost survival hopes

Accrington moved 10 points clear of the bottom two with an emphatic 5-0 win over Newport.

Stanley, who remain 21st in League Two despite a third win in five games, charged into a 3-0 lead inside 26 minutes and continued to be clinical as they secured a much-needed three points in their game in hand over the bottom teams.

The Reds had a dream start after four minutes when Southampton loanee Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh got the ball halfway inside the County half, weaved his way forward and fired into the bottom corner.

Dominant Accrington grabbed a second after 15 minutes when Tyler Walton’s cross was tapped home by Kelsey Mooney.

Number three came after 26 minutes when a Ben Woods free-kick took a nick off Walton and found the bottom corner of the net.

O’Brien-Whitmarsh, who scored his first EFL goal last week, celebrated a brace after 53 minutes when Walton found him 20 yards out and he rifled the ball into the top of the net.

The fifth arrived in the 75th minute when Walton, with a hat-trick of assists, set up Mooney to stroke home.

It was a second successive defeat for 17th placed Newport, who have conceded the most goals in League Two.