EARLY second half goals including a superb strike from Jack Baxter dented Newquay’s play-off hopes against fellow top-five hopefuls Buckland Athletic at Mount Wise.

After a dull 45 minutes, the contest sprung into life when Baxter took a pass from the excellent Phil Mendonca on a counter-attack before cutting in off the left and firing past a hapless Ethan Elwell.

Within 10 minutes of the restart the hosts had a mountain to climb when Baxter’s cross from the left was headed into his own net by Cam Turner under pressure from Ryan Bush.

For Newquay it was a disappointing end to a week which saw them thrash Saltash United 5-1 away from home on Tuesday night as boss Shaun Middleton, who was still without key attackers Jack Bray-Evans and Rhys Simmonds and goalkeeper Brodie Cole, named an unchanged side.

In front of a huge crowd of 455 it was Newquay who had the wind in their favour in the first half, but they struggled to keep possession as the Bucks played some tidy stuff without really threatening. The closest they came was on 10 minutes as skipper Ben Carter’s shot from 35 yards towards an open goal following a poor clearance from Elwell, went well wide.

The hosts’ first shot arrived shortly after as the in-form Louis Price shot at Andrew Sowden-Bird, while on 20 minutes Callam McOnie sent a whistling drive from 30 yards narrowly wide.

However, the first big chance arrived on 27 minutes with Sowden-Bird to the rescue.

Newquay centre-half Turner sent over a diagonal to McOnie on the right flank, he headed it on and Price got in behind with just the keeper to beat, only for Sowden-Bird to spread himself superbly.

McOnie, who went off at half-time to be replaced by the dangerous Allam Ahmed, whistled another shot wide, while the Bucks went into the break without seriously testing Elwell.

However, inside two minutes of the restart they were ahead as Baxter drove in from 22 yards off the inside of the far post.

Buckland improved as the game went on and doubled their lead 54 minutes in when Turner could only nod into his own net.

Bush was unfortunate not to make it 3-0 on 56 minutes, only for home skipper Harry Downing to heroically clear the ball off the line.

Home boss Shaun Middleton made a double change just before the hour including the debut of former St Austell attacker Matt Searle, but despite Price and Ahmed having the odd dangerous moment, Buckland stayed resolute, led by the excellent Ben Carter in midfield and centre-backs Charlie Madden and Myles James.

Although Richards glanced a header wide, it could have been 3-0 when right-back Rafael Beadman nodded wide from six yards from left-back Luke Forward’s free-kick.

The hosts, who are six points behind the Bucks with three games in-hand, were fortunate not to end with 10 men when Aaron Dilley was only booked by referee Neil Hunnisett for a two-footed lunge on Coby White in injury-time.

NEWQUAY: Ethan Elwell; Jamie Edlin, Harry Downing (capt), Cam Turner, Tom Moxham; Aaron Dilley, Lucas Potts (Harry Richards, 59); Callam McOnie (Allam Ahmed, 46), Phil Lowry (Matt Searle, 59), Dan Carne (Harrie Tilston, 79); Louis Price. Subs unused: Ollie Butterworth.

BUCKLAND ATHLETIC: Andrew Sowden-Bird; Rafael Beadman, Charlie Madden, Myles James, Luke Forward; Ben Carter (capt), Coby White; Isaac McCue (Jordan Copp, 89), Phil Mendonca (Tomas Amado, 95), Jack Baxter (Toby Pullman, 80); Ryan Bush (Toby Hard, 90).

Men-of-the-match: Newquay – Al Ahmed; Buckland Athletic – Ben Carter.

Buckland were originally scheduled to host Paulton Rovers this Saturday but their opponent’s Les Phillips League Cup clash with Ivybridge Town has taken precedence.

Matt Cusack’s side will instead, have a weekend off before visiting Paulton on Saturday 21 and then hosting Bridgwater United at Homers Heath on Saturday 28.