CONGRATULATIONS are in order for everyone associated with Newport County AFC.

After 25 years in non-league exile, the County secured League Two football for a second successive season over the bank holiday.

Some supporters might be disappointed that Justin Edinburgh's team were unable to maintain their pre-Christmas promotion push - but the reality is staying in the Football League after so long out of it was the mission for this season.

Yes, the team's form has been poor since the turn of the year but there is no doubt the state of the Rodney Parade pitch and a succession of postponed matches had a massive impact on the team.

Momentum is important in any sport and County lost theirs totally as rain made their home pitch unplayable for the best part of two months.

However, they have recovered and look to be ending the season in decent form.

Fans may have become a little too used to success in recent years and there is no harm in a little consolidation. It gives people time to reflect and plan for the future.

And it is the future that is now important for everyone at the club.

The challenge for County now is to see how well they can kick on from their debut season in the Football League both on and off the pitch.