Newport County 2, Notts County 1
Mark O’Brien’s perfect timing sent Newport County fans into a frenzy of wild celebrations at Rodney Parade.
The Dublin-born defender smashed home Newport’s winner after 89 minutes of their League Two clash with Notts County and says: “I will remember that moment forever.”
Relegation rivals Hartlepool United were leading 2-1 against Doncaster Rovers and, with Newport drawing 1-1, the Welsh club looked set to crash out of the Football League.
O’Brien, 24, transformed the situation with his late strike and, with time running out, he yelled at manager Mike Flynn asking to play in attack.
“I screamed at the manager ‘Can I go Up front’ and when I did the ball dropped to me,” said O’Brien. “It hit my chest and I tried to hit it as hard as possible.
“We fought to the end and deserved to stay up. I will remember this forever.
“It’s a massive, massive achievement and will lift the whole city.
“I’m going to keep watching that goal back and I’ll show everybody in Ireland.”
Newport were 11 points adrift of safety when manager Flynn took charge in March and he said: “I’m ecstatic. I’m so happy for the fans, for the players and for myself. They have all been immense.
“Let’s be honest, it’s huge. We thought we were dead and buried.
“Everybody thought Newport were down. But, look, we are Newport County, we might not be the most polished club in the world, but one thing we will always do is that we will fight.
“The players have written their names in the record books. They deserve it, they’ve been fantastic for me and I can’t thank them enough.
“It was tense, it was scary, nerve-wracking.
“We threw three up-front, we threw Mark O’Brien up-front and he got the winner. He is perhaps an unlikely hero, but that’s what football is.”
Newport’s remarkable Great Escape came after they had taken the lead against Notts County thanks to a Mickey Demetriou penalty after 32 minutes.
Jorge Grant equalised just after the hour and Newport were suddenly back in danger.
Hartlepool climbed above Newport on the live table when they went ahead against Doncaster, but O’Brien’s goal proved decisive.
Flynn, assisted by former Cardiff City manager Lennie Lawrence, won seven of his 12 games in charge and that record rescued the club from the danger of plunging into non-League football.
Newport County: Day, Bennett, O’Brien, Demetriou, Pipe, Labadie, Randall (Rigg 72), Owen-Evans, Butler, Bird, John-Lewis (Jackson 72). Subs not used: Barnum-Bobb, Myrie-Williams, Nelson, Bittner, Williams.
Notts County: Collin, Clackstone, Hollis, Duffy, Dickinson (Bola 58), Howes (Smith 58), Milsom, Hewitt, Grant, Stead, Ameobi.
Subs not used: Campbell, Thompson, Campbell, Osborne, Searson.
Referee: Nigel Miller.
Attendance: 7,500.