MATTY Dolan says Newport County have come too far this season to play second fiddle to Tranmere Rovers in next Saturday’s League Two play-off final.

Midfielder Dolan struck the winning spot-kick in last weekend’s penalty shootout against Mansfield Town to send the Exiles to Wembley on May 25.

Sunday’s semi-final second leg was County’s 62nd game of another memorable campaign at Rodney Parade, one which could end with promotion to League One.

And Dolan, who also scored a crucial goal at Middlesbrough in the FA Cup, insists no-one in the County camp has any intention of letting a golden opportunity pass them by.

“I think the boys have been a credit all season,” he told iFollow Exiles.

“It’s 62 games now this season and we deserve to be at Wembley.

“We don’t just want to be at Wembley for the sake of being there, we want to win.

“We don’t want our season to go on this long and finish in a bad way.

“I’m sure the whole of Newport will be behind us and we’ll make sure we finish the job.

“We’ve got a lot of confidence and we’ll do things right from now until Wembley.

“It’s important we don’t let the occasion get the better of us.

“We’ve played in big games this season, so let’s make sure it’s another big result.

“The boys have been fantastic for 62 games.

“A lot of hard work has gone into it since pre-season from everyone at the football club.

“It’s what we deserve, but we don’t want it to stop now.”

Commenting on the performance at Field Mill and the support the team received, he added: “It was fantastic.

“To a man, the boys were a credit to the football club.

“You could name whoever you wanted out there. Mark O’Brien was solid at the back, as was the whole backline, I could literally go through the whole team.

“But I’ll give a special mention to Josh Sheehan who I thought was fantastic in the middle alongside Benno and Labz.

“The boys were brilliant, and we got what we deserved as a football club. That’s what 12 unbeaten gets you.

“We said we wanted to make sure we didn’t end the season on a flat note.

“Our season continues now, and we’ll look to finish the job at Wembley.”

He continued: “For a Sunday, at 6pm, with no trains back to Newport, no travel, they (the fans) deserve a special mention because they’ve been behind us all season and in every game.

“They’ve been behind us all the way and we’ve all achieved a special moment in this club’s history.

“But we’re not done yet, we want to go and make sure we finish the job.

“The message is simply to get behind us.

“We’ve given them a rollercoaster ride and they’ve stuck with us through thick and thin.”

Dolan’s winning penalty capped a flawless shootout display by the Exiles, with Dan Butler, Padraig Amond, Mickey Demetriou and Regan Poole also beating Stags keeper Conrad Logan from the spot.

“My old man won’t be happy because he always tells me to not take the fifth penalty,” said 26-year-old Hartlepool-born Dolan.

“But I was pretty settled. I had my partner and all my family right behind me in the crowd and others watching at home.

“It was nice to slot it away, but I always backed myself, wanted the fifth and now it’s a nice bit of history for us.

“We practised penalties in the last couple of days, the lads normally have a go at me because I usually mess about in the penalty taking.

“But when it’s serious I will be serious and slot it away.

“To score a goal to get the club to Wembley is up there and probably the best in my career.

“I just took the penalty like I would any other, regardless of the situation we were in.

“It was very nice and obviously nice to see everyone with a smile on their face.

“Let’s get to Wembley and finish the job.”