WHILE Wales’ wait for a win over New Zealand goes on, Newport County AFC – dressed in all black – succeeded in ending their own historic hoodoo against Swindon Town on Saturday.

Wales haven’t beaten the All Blacks since 1953 and the last time County had won at the County Ground was two years later in 1955.

But Michael Flynn’s men, sporting their new black third kit, sealed a valuable victory thanks to Ben Tozer’s 76th-minute header.

More significantly, the goal – a fine header from a Matty Dolan corner – ended a run of six games without a win in League Two.

And, after throwing away seven points in the closing stages of their previous three games, the Exiles also proved – to themselves and to the doubters outside the camp – that they can hold on to a lead and see out a game.

Swindon’s Matt Preston was inches away from dishing out another serving of late heartache deep into stoppage time but his header cannoned off the bar and County survived.

Flynn’s side had earned that slice of luck after a dogged defensive display without Mark O’Brien and with Tozer filling in for Scot Bennett when the latter was forced off with a first-half injury.

And they deserved the three points having taken their one clear chance, while the injury-hit hosts’ impressive approach play petered out in the final third again and again.

“We have been beaten by a set-piece, but I don’t think that is the reason we have lost the game,” said Swindon boss David Flitcroft.

“We didn’t make a big enough impression on their goalkeeper until late on and we have got to do that more.

“Newport are always going to be a side who come and test you, they’re structurally good and Frank Nouble is in fantastic form.

“We only really had to cope with them for 15 minutes in the first half, where we dug in, but we should have made more of an impression and we didn’t do that.

“You have to be ruthless in both boxes, in any league and certainly in League Two.

“What happens between the two 18-yard boxes is irrelevant at times, we certainly weren’t ruthless enough.”

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Flitcroft’s mention of Nouble (above) was significant as he had revealed before the match that he was close to signing the striker before County snapped him up in the summer.

“I’ve worked with Frank and we were very close to getting him here,” said Flitcroft.

“At the start of the season I spoke to him and he didn’t have the energy and enthusiasm for the game, when I worked with him before.

“I spoke to him about his cause and he’s just had a child, so you can see it was the one thing which was sparking him and making him fire up again.

“Newport came in and took him, he has had a fantastic season and it’s a different Frank, he is playing for a cause.”

Nouble showed what Swindon were missing with a determined performance up front, taking the fight to the hosts and never letting their defence have a moment’s rest.

The 26-year-old front man had a brief loan spell with the Robins back in 2010 but it was another old boy who condemned them to defeat.

Tozer started his career at the County Ground a decade ago and he came back to haunt his former employers with a solid showing in defence and an expertly taken header to seal all three points.

He exemplified the visitors’ fighting spirit in adversity and the way Tozer and his teammates celebrated with the 880 travelling fans after the final whistle showed the significance of this performance and this result.

County: Day; White, Bennett (Rigg, 33), Demetriou; Pipe, Dolan, Tozer, Butler; Labadie (Owen-Evans, 89); Nouble, McCoulsky (Amond, 83)

Subs not used: Bittner, Foulston, Reynolds, Touray

Booked: Labadie, Nouble

Referee: James Linington

Attendance: 6,764