14241/2The magic of the FA Cup came to Corsham on Saturday as a record-breaking crowd crammed into the Southbank but the team's dream came to a disappointing end.

Corsham were not the walkover the Conference South outfit might have expected and the home side were unlucky to be a goal down at the interval as strikers Alan Griffin and Scott Lye both hit the woodwork.

Corsham players did not let their heads drop when they went two down on 50 minutes and continued to push for a goal, but they could not find a way past ex-Chelsea and Swansea goalkeeper Roger Freestone.

Manager Colin Bush was proud of his players and thought that his side did not look out of their depth.

He said: "Our FA Cup run come to an end in style, the players did a brilliant job today and if we had a bit of fortune we could have been 2-1 up at the break.

"It was a great performance, the players should be proud of themselves."

It was feared that there could be crowd trouble at this game but both sets of fans mingled well. Bush said: "We have made a new friend in Newport County. They were superbly supported and the fans behaved impeccably."

Bush thought that his side impressed the 550 people who turned up at the

Southbank. He said: "It is fantastic for the club and the town to see so

many people here. I was delighted when supporters who had not been at the club for years shook my hand to congratulate me.

"Hopefully the game has wet their appetites and many of them will return."

Corsham started the game brightly and took only three minutes to muster their first shot on goal when midfielder Frank Coleman picked up a loose ball and drove it just inches over the bar from 25 yards.

There was little evidence that Corsham's opponents played three leagues higher, as Newport struggled to carve an opening in the first 15 minutes.

Newport did have their fans jumping with celebration on 19 minutes when Jamie Moralee headed the ball in from Ashley Williams' cross but the midfielder was judged offside.

The side from Wales finally broke the deadlock on 32 minutes when Dave Hopkins made a blistering run down the left flank and delivered a cross to the back post for Moralee to head home.

Corsham refused to roll over and took the game to County. On 34 minutes, striker Alan Webb went to the corner and sent in a cross for Griffin to

head, the fans groaned with disappointment when they saw his effort clatter the crossbar.

Corsham came close to an equaliser again just four minutes later, Coleman sent a long ball into the box and Lye smashed a volley, but again the woodwork denied the home team.

On 48 minutes Corsham had a strong appeal for a penalty turned down when midfielder John Woods ran the ball into the Newport box and was sent crashing to the ground by

Andrew Thomas.

Two minutes later the Newport keeper easily caught the ball from the Lye cross and drove it back up field to striker Jonathan Coates.

He played it to Williams who buried it in the back of the net from 15 yards, much to the delight of 150 singing Welshmen in the crowd.

There were frequent chances at both ends and Newport had a goal disallowed on 66 minutes when Darren Jones tapped in from five yards but play was called back for a foul.

It was all Corsham for the last 15 minutes but they failed to make the most of their chances as the County keeper collected cross after cross.

Their best effort came on 86 minutes when Griffin was put through on goal by Jamie Lyons. He found himself in a one-on-one situation but Freestone again came out on top.

Bush insisted his players should hold their heads high. He said: "The players excelled in a difficult game. They made it a day to remember for the whole town.

"No one likes losing 2-0 but the players should walk off that field feeling proud."

Corsham's come back down to Earth when they return to action in the Screwfix Premier, playing host to Hallen on Saturday.