AS NEWPORT County AFC prepare for the start of their season tomorrow, we look back at the heart-stopping drama which ended last season.

County stayed in the Football League after a dramatic evening at a raucous Rodney Parade.

The Exiles beat Notts County 2-1 thanks to an 89th-minute winner from defender Mark O’Brien.

County looked like they were going down when Hartlepool United fought back to edge past Doncaster Rovers 2-1 but O’Brien’s fine finish sent the Exiles fans into ecstasy and condemned Pools to non-league football.

While there was pain for the North East club and their supporters in front of the Sky TV cameras, the majority of the 7,500 crowd in Newport and many more who couldn’t get a ticket will be partying long into the night.

All pictures by Huw Evans