Conference play-offs semi-final second leg

COUNTY 1 GRIMSBY 0 (County win 2-0 on aggregate)

ANOTHER superb rearguard action from Newport County has put them on the brink of history after they finished the job and booked a place at Wembley.

The Exiles can complete their amazing 25-year odyssey in the footballing wilderness with a return to the Football League if they can overcome Welsh rivals Wrexham at the home of English football on Sunday.

A solitary strike from Christian Jolley in a first half dominated by the visitors proved enough for the Exiles who were again indebted to a magnificent display from their defenders as they completed a 180-minute shutout against the Mariners.

After a magnificent campaign where they continually exceeded expectations, the Exiles know one more win will take this group of players and management back to the Promised Land.

Pre-match, the noise and colour of Rodney Parade provided a magnificent spectacle, the sizeable following from Grimsby adding to the spice provided by a near capacity crowd.

We had fire, fireworks, enough kids waving flags to give Grimsby director John Fenty palpitations and a palpable tension in the air as well as smoke residue.

The Exiles would have coveted an early goal to settle the nerves but the hosts were by far the more menacing outfit in the early exchanges, fashioning as many clear-cut chances in the opening 20 minutes as they managed in the entire 90 at Blun-dell Park.

The Mariners could have gone ahead inside five minutes, but Tom Naylor blasted over after Joe Colbeck’s smart approach play.

The Exiles appeared nervy and were struggling to maintain possession amid blustery conditions, the visitors slightly sharper and more cohesive with the ball at their feet.

Only a decent block by Ismail Yakubu prevented Craig Disley getting a shot away and Naylor then fluffed his lines with an even better chance, finding the direction but not the power from Colbeck’s centre as Lenny Pidgeley made a fantastic stop, full stretch and low to his left.

Newport’s attacking forays were all huff and puff and bereft of flair or a delicate touch but they finally registered an effort just off target on the half hour when skipper David Pipe headed wide a smart centre by Christian Jolley.

It galvanised them, prodigious teen-ace Alex Gilbey collecting and sparking another foray forward, only this one was worked to perfection.

Gilbey found Jolley and he produced the perfect finish after striding purposefully onto the pass, taking a touch and firing right-footed across James McKeown into the corner of the net.

The goal temporarily halted the visitors as an attacking threat, Gilbey’s powerful volley even threatening to put Newport out of sight, but McKeown was equal to it.

Disley then curled over on the stroke of half time, a timely reminder that the Exiles were far from home and hosed.

However, they started after the interval with intent to kill the tie, lovely build-up play from David Pipe and Jolley teeing up Mike Flynn but his shot was deflected agonisingly wide.

Flynn was in impressive form and stung the hands of McKeown as Newport pushed for the decisive third goal in the tie without over-committing players forward.

The visitors were finding County exceedingly stubborn and when Ian Miller misjudged another header, he almost scored a second own goal in the tie which would certainly have seen the Exiles home.

Grimsby threw on two extra forwards as they attempted to stretch the contest more and more, The defensive trio of Tony James, Yakubu and Byron Anthony were at their imperious best again and Grimsby were susceptible to a speedy Newport counter, substitute Aaron O’Connor’s cutback for Gilbey another chance to clinch it, but Gilbey fired wide before Jolley smashed over from another fast counter.

The Mariners were looking increasingly desperate as the bumper Rodney Parade crowd began que sera-ing their thoughts on another visit to Wembley, in hindsight the Jolley goal really taking the fight out of the visitors who seemed dejected in the final exchanges.

Robbie Willmott came off the bench and fired wide but by that stage it was academic, the Rodney Parade faithful savouring every second as the Exiles put themselves within a single step of finally completing their dream of the Phoenix from the flames rising again to be a Football League force.

The final whistle sparked wild scenes, but the all too predictable pitch invasion was staged in the right spirit as a day of celebration remained exactly that.

Wembley here we come.

County: Pidgeley, Pipe, Sandell, James, Anthony, Yakubu, Minshull, Gilbey, Flynn, Crow (O’Connor 73), Jolley (Willmott 87)

Subs not used: Julian, Hughes, Donnelly Booked: Gilbey, Pidgeley

Grimsby: McKeown, Hatton (Southwell 70), Thomas, Pearson (Cook 46), Miller, Colbeck, Marshall, Thanoj, Naylor, Disley, Hearn (Hannah 64)

Subs not used: Artus, Wood

Booked: Naylor

Referee: Nicholas Kinseley (Essex)

Argus star man: Alex Gilbey