GRIMSBY 0 COUNTY 1 (Conference Play-offs, semi-final, first leg)

NEWPORT County took a giant stride towards the play-offs final with this smash and grab raid at Blundell Park.

A cagey encounter looked to be heading towards a stalemate before a late own goal with just 30 seconds remaining in normal time sent the travelling Amber Army into raptures.

The job is far from done ahead of Sunday’s second leg at Rodney Parade but the Exiles have given themselves a fantastic chance of progression, particularly as they produced another splendid rearguard action.

The Exiles will now rely on striker Aaron O’Connor, their top scorer, to return from injury on Sunday and fire them to Wembley and a possible all-Welsh showdown with Wrexham.

The County fans were in raptures after the final whistle and dreaming of Wembley but boss Justin Edinburgh will be more circumspect.

He had already surprised many of the County faithful with his unexpected line-up, Danny Crow deputising for the injured O’Connor and young loanee Alex Gilbey the true shock inclusion, preferred to Scott Donnelly who was only among the substitutes.

However, if the Exiles’ plan was to be solid and compact above all else it worked to perfection in the opening exchanges, County starting the brighter of the two sides with their away following in fine voice.

Only 11 minutes were on the clock when Ismail Yakubu glanced just wide from a free header and the Exiles continued to probe and use the ball efficiently, the lively Christian Jolley really stretching the Mariners’ rearguard.

Only skipper Craig Disley made any inroads as the hosts started sluggishly, but Lenny Pidgeley was quickly off his line to smother.

Disley was the fulcrum for the hosts, booked for a reckless challenge before drawing a fine save from Pidgeley who was practically unsighted in a crowded area.

The Exiles’ chances were few and far between and generally fell to the wrong players in the first period, skipper David Pipe, without a goal all term, narrowly driving wide twice and Yakubu misplacing another good headed opportunity.

The hosts were frustrated by the Exiles, particularly as when they did manage to test Pidgeley they found the former Chelsea stopper in superb form.

He firstly denied Hull City loanee Jamie Devitt with a fingertip save from a freekick before springing to life on the stroke of half time to not only repel Devitt’s dipping effort but then amazingly smother the rebound from Aswad Thomas, who seemed certain to give the hosts an advantage.

It did, however, have a galvanising effect, the hosts far brighter after the restart as their large support finally found its voice.

Danger man Devitt was again in the thick of things and almost scored the opener, but as he shaped to shoot the inspired Pipe denied him with a perfect sliding tackle.

Seconds later Crow was denied in similar circumstances after Gilbey’s exquisite ball over the top.

The young Colchester midfielder wasn’t overawed by the occasion and justified his selection, but the Exiles as a collective were just a fraction off the pace in the final third.

Everyone was given a breather on the hour mark when a solitary Newport fan let the side down by throwing a flare onto the pitch.

Edinburgh introduced Conor Washington for by far the biggest night of his young career but within seconds of his introduction Newport could’ve been behind, Cleveland Taylor firing high.

You sensed as the evening wore on it was becoming a case of both sides fearing defeat more than they valued the prospect of winning by a single goal.

That meant a mistake or piece of brilliance would likely be required to break the deadlock and it almost came on 77 minutes when Tony James’ misguided header was seized upon by Disley but he could only hit the upright from just three yards out with Pidgeley helpless.

Andy Cook’s header with four minutes remaining afforded Pidgeley another opportunity to impress as several County players looked to be tiring, Jolley and Mike Flynn in particular, but this Newport side ripped up the script with just two minutes remaining.

Jolley’s last contribution before almost crawling to the sideline was to be fouled and from the resultant freekick Andy Sandell found Ismail Yakubu perfectly at the back post, his downward header gaining enough off the turf to nestle perfectly in the bottom corner of the net, possibly with a final touch off defender Ian Miller.

But the Exiles won’t care a jot over who the dubious goals panel award the strike to, only that the late, late show gives them a huge chance of progressing to the play-offs final and a second successive trip to Wembley.

Grimsby: McKeown, Hatton, Thomas, Pearson, Miller, Disley, Hearn, Cook, Devitt (Thanoj 57), Naylor, Taylor (Marshall 71)

Subs not used: Wood, Southwell, Hannah

Booked: Disley, Taylor

Newport: Pidgeley, Pipe, Sandell, Yakubu, James, Anthony, Flynn, Gilbey (Donnelly 85), Minshull, Crow (Washington 64), Jolley (Willmott 87)

Subs not used: Julian, Hughes

Booked: Minshull

Referee: Mr G Horwood

Attendance: 5414 (364 away)

Argus star man: Lenny Pidgeley