NEWPORT County AFC rediscovered their backbone and their guts but in the end if was the big toe of Padraig Amond that saw off Grimsby Town.

After the recriminations of last week this was redemption for County with a performance full of heart and brains that was too much for the Mariners.

The only concern was that the match was still in the balance up until the final whistle because the Exiles could and should have been out of sight long before fourth official Marvyn Amphlett raised the board showing five minutes of stoppage time.

In truth, there were few scares for Flynn’s men and they held on comfortably enough to claim a second successive 1-0 home win courtesy of a poacher’s effort from Amond.

But against better sides and especially away from home the fear is that they will again be punished if they fail to make the most of their opportunities.

Amond and the returning Joss Labadie and Mark O’Brien all had efforts cleared off the line and Ben White and Mickey Demetriou were also denied by goal line clearances before the break.

Amond and Sean Rigg also hooked efforts just off target in separate attacks and O’Brien and Ben Tozer were denied by visiting goalkeeper James McKeown as the hosts pressed the life out of their opponents and totally dominated the first 45 minutes.

South Wales Argus:

“We know it’s a difficult place to come,” said Grimsby boss Russell Slade.

“We knew it would be tough and to be fair to them they were on the front foot and in our faces.

“I would've liked us to defend more competently and that's from the goalkeeper to the back four and show that bit of composure because I thought we created our own pressure.

“They looked like it was chance after chance but actually we were creating those chances through making poor choices or poor decisions.”

Slade’s side were second best throughout and offered very little in attack until impressive substitute Diallang Jaiyesimi forced Joe Day into his first real save on 73 minutes.

By that stage County had finally got the breakthrough as Tozer’s long throw into the box was nodded on by Frank Nouble and Amond pounced to poke home from close range.

“It was from a long throw where we've not dealt with first contact,” said Slade.

“It's bounced and we've not cleared it and it's a little toe end from five yards that's gone in.

“That's in the end the difference between the two sides because I thought as the second half progressed, we looked more of a threat.”

Slade’s men did improve in the second half but they did not deserve anything out of the game.

There was, however, a little nervousness in the crowd as Flynn withdrew the tiring Labadie and O’Brien in the closing stages.

And at 1-0 the game was never totally secure but the Exiles held on to extend their unbeaten home run to nine games and move to within a point of the play-off places.

Tricky looking trips to Crawley Town and Luton Town will again test the resilience of this side in the coming days but once again they have bounced back from a setback.

And 15 points from nine games is fine start. This time last year, under Warren Feeney, County had just six and it took them until late November to reach the current mark under Graham Westley.

Flynn has certainly got his hometown club heading in the right direction.

County: Day; Pipe, O’Brien (Butler, 83), Demetriou, White; Willmott, Labadie (Bennett, 79), Tozer, Rigg; Nouble, Amond (McCoulsky, 89)

Subs not used: Bittner, Dolan, Reynolds, Quigley

Referee: Antony Coggins

Attendance: 3,356 (243 Grimsby)