NEWPORT County AFC marked their final home game of the season by beating Cambridge United for a third time this term.

The Exiles are now one win away from setting a new club record for most points in a campaign since returning to the Football League in 2013.

Goals either side of the interval from Mickey Demetriou and Frank Nouble put County on course for victory, before George Maris struck late on to halve the deficit.

There were no changes to the County starting XI or bench from Tuesday night’s superb 2-1 defeat of Accrington Stanley, who were today crowned League Two champions.

And that consistency in selection paid dividends early on as the Exiles strung together some neat passages of play.

Four minutes in, Padraig Amond found Nouble with a deft back-heel and the latter’s cross was only partially cleared to Ben Tozer.

The midfield took a touch before his shot was tipped around the post by Dimitar Mitov in the United goal.

Tozer was involved again soon after but his first-time effort from Robbie Willmott’s centre trickled well wide.

At the other end, the Cambridge fans saw their side go close to taking the lead on 16 minutes.

Billy Waters made a rapid break down the right and found the galloping Maris in support.

He took a touch and steadied himself before unleashing a shot that might have found the corner of Joe Day’s net had Dan Butler not got in the way of it.

The balance of play in the opening quarter had been with the hosts, and they took the lead in the 26th minute.

A long Tozer throw was helped on by skipper Mark O’Brien and when the ball squirmed loose it was Demetriou who pounced to convert from close range.

But County nearly committed the cardinal sin of conceding straight after they had scored.

The dangerous Waters broke free on the left, pulled the ball back and Jevani Brown’s attempt struck O’Brien.

Cambridge came into the contest more as the half wore on and George Taft nearly levelled five minutes before the break.

He got above his man to meet a Waters cross but the defender couldn’t keep his header on target.

One of the features of the first half was the ongoing battle between Demetriou and United striker Uche Ikpeazu.

Demetriou had the better of the exchanges after being on the receiving end of a hefty challenge from Ikpeazu early on.

Ikpeazu’s afternoon only lasted 45 minutes but it didn’t take long for Demetriou to clash with replacement Barry Corr.

Two minutes into the second period and the Exiles defender was down again following a Corr high foot.

Demetriou had lost centre-back partner O’Brien to injury at half-time, David Pipe the man replacing the County captain.

And boss Michael Flynn made another change on 55 minutes, bringing Aaron Collins on for Matt Dolan – and Collins had an instant impact.

Mitov hadn’t long saved a Josh Sheehan effort when he was picking the ball out of his net for a second time.

Substitute Collins found space on the right and delivered a perfect cross which Nouble dispatched with a sublime side-footed volley for his 10th goal of the season.

The next 25 minutes or so drifted along without much incident – Nouble made way for Paul Hayes – but the visitors then netted out of nothing to give their supporters hope.

Waters teed up Maris to drill the ball past Day and make it 2-1, but hopes of a Cambridge leveller failed to materialise.

County: Day, Willmott, Butler, Demetriou, O’Brien (capt) (Pipe 45), White, Tozer, Dolan (Collins 55), Sheehan, Nouble (Hayes 77), Amond. Subs not used: Bittner, Reid, Jackson, Jahraldo-Martin.

Cambridge: Mitov, Halliday, Taft, Taylor, Carroll (Amoo 80), Deegan, Lewis (Dunk 61), Maris, Brown, Waters, Ikpeazu (Corr 45). Subs not used: Iron, Mingoia, Darling, Davies.

Booked: Corr

Referee: Graham Salisbury

Attendance: 3,412 (including 170 away fans)

Argus star man: Mickey Demetriou