Newport County 1, Accrington Stanley 0
Newport County are out of the League Two relegation zone.
Their fourth win in five matches, against in-form Accrington Stanley at Rodney Parade, lifted the Exiles above Hartlepool United, who were beaten 2-0 at home against Barnet.
County now have a realistic chance of staying up – and could send former Cardiff City manager Dave Jones, who is in charge at Hartlepool, crashing out of the Football League.
Ryan Bird’s County matchwinner also dragged Cheltenham Town back into danger. The Gloucestershire club are only two points ahead of manager Mike Flynn and his Newport team.
The biggest factor is, though, that Flynn’s men are now third from bottom.
Newport County manager Mike Flynn said: “It feels absolutely amazing, but we’re keeping grounded. There is nothing done yet, nothing achieved.
“We’ve got ourselves in a good position and we have to keep going now until the end of the season.
“It has been a great turnaround and the boys have been fantastic. I would have wanted a few more goals, but I’ll take another couple of 1-0 wins before the end of the season.”
Captain Joss Labadie returned in midfield after suspension, while Mark O’Brien was at the heart of defence after recovering from a suspected concussion.
O’Brien and his fellow defenders were outstanding as Newport goalkeeper Joe Day kept a fourth clean sheet in the last five matches.
Bird headed the only goal from close range on the hour after Mark Randall’s shot was saved by goalkeeper Marek Rodak.
Newport’s win ended Accrington’s 15-game unbeaten run and they could well miss out on a play-offs spot. They are five points away from seventh place with two fixtures left.
Count have climbed out of the bottom two only six weeks after being 11 points adrift of safety and they could yet guarantee staying up with a win at Carlisle United on Saturday, April 29.
Newport County: Day, Pipe, Demetriou, O’Brien, Butler, Owen-Evans, Labadie (capt), Randall (Barnum-Bobb 86), Rigg, Samuel (Gordon 90); Bird (Williams 72). Subs not used: Jones, Myrie-Williams, Nelson, Bittner.
Referee: Mark Heywood
Attendance: 3,719
League Two table – bottom three only, two will be relegated
All teams play 46 matches
Pl GD Pts
22 Cheltenham Town 44 -16 47
23 Newport County 44 -22 45
22 Hartlepool United 44 -21 43
24 Leyton Orient 44 -36 36
Remaining fixtures:
Cheltenham: Hartlepool (home), Portsmouth (away).
Hartlepool: Cheltenham (away), Doncaster (home).
Newport: Carlisle (away), Notts County (home).