PADRAIG Amond continued his remarkable run in the FA Cup to spare his side’s blushes against non-league minnows Maldon & Tiptree.

Amond headed home in the 90th minute to net in an eighth-successive round of the FA Cup and seal a 1-0 win for Newport County AFC.

It means County are through to the third round for the fourth time in five years, but they were made to work hard for it by their Isthmian League North Division opponents.

The Exiles were the better side before the break and should have been ahead through Tristan Abrahams.

But second-half injuries to centre-backs Mark O’Brien and Kyle Howkins proved a disruption and it looked like Michael Flynn’s men would require a Rodney Parade replay to progress.

But Amond’s intervention, which takes him ahead of legendary front men Peter Osgood and Jeff Astle in the record books, means his side will be in the hat for Monday’s third-round draw.

Flynn made four changes from Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to Oldham Athletic in League Two, with Josh Sheehan, Matty Dolan, Howkins and youngster Dom Jefferies replacing Corey Whitely, Joss Labadie, Scot Bennett and Danny McNamara.

Jefferies coped well with the pacey home attack as a makeshift right-back, but it was Sheehan who was the standout player in a keenly contested first 45 minutes.

County dominated in terms of possession and territory and they created more chances, but the hosts held their own and they too had opportunities to take a shock lead.

Amond had a decent chance in the fifth minute but his shot was straight at goalkeeper Ben McNamara.

Sheehan then saw his effort beaten away and O’Brien blazed over from close range.

McNamara was called into action again when Abrahams teed up Matty Dolan and he saved confidently.

Exiles stopper Nick Townsend, who retained his place ahead of Tom King, was out quickly in the 15th minute to save from Maldon's Kojo Awotwi before Abrahams was denied at the other end.

And the hosts went close again when Robert Girdlestone crossed from the left and Jorome Slew fired just wide.

O’Brien had another chance but he again failed to hit the target, but County really should have been ahead in the 33rd minute when Abrahams saw his shot cleared off the line by defender Lance Atkins with the goalkeeper nowhere to be seen.

A little more composure and the striker would have bagged his ninth goal of the season.

But it remained goalless and Danny Parish almost gave the Jammers a half-time lead when he volleyed over just before the break.

South Wales Argus:

Abrahams saw a header easily held by McNamara six minutes after the restart as County continued to push forward but failed to make the most of their dominance.

Flynn responded to an injury to O’Brien just before the hour with a bold change as he sent on forward Dominic Poleon.

And he had to make another enforced substitution 10 minutes later when Howkins was stretchered off and replaced by George Nurse.

Flynn’s men seemed to lose any momentum after the injury to Howkins and they almost paid the price as Stephane Ngamvoulou's shot was tipped over by Townsend 13 minutes from the end.

But that man Amond popped up to claim his ninth goal of the campaign as he headed in Nurse's cross and, after nine minutes of stoppage time, the Exiles breathed a sigh of relief.

County: Townsend; Howkins (Nurse, 69), O’Brien (Poleon, 59), Inniss; Jefferies, Sheehan, Dolan, Haynes; Amond; Matt, Abrahams

Subs not used: King, Woodiwiss, Collins, Hillier, Whitely

Referee: Sebastian Stockbridge

Attendance: 1,876

Argus star man: Townsend