Having gone through the agonies of Morecambe, Newport County manager Michael Flynn has warned his team there will be more to come against Mansfield in the play-offs.
The County boss admitted he felt sick as his team struggled to gain the point they needed to keep alive their dreams of promotion to League One.
Jamille Matt’s 87th minute goal finally clinched seventh spot in League Two thanks to Exeter’s inability to win at Forest Green Rovers and now Flynn is advising there will be more emotional turmoil in a two-leg semi-final.
Newport host Mansfield on Thursday night, before the return next Sunday and Flynn said: “It’s going to be very tough.
“They’re a very good team with some great players and we’ll have to be at our best on Thursday and Sunday. But we’re going into those play-offs trying to win them.
“None of the teams were going to be easy. But we’re not going to be easy for any of them either. It’s going to be a very difficult game for both teams.
“We’re in there now and it’s an absolute no-lose situation for us. It’s a fantastic achievement and I am so proud that we’ve reached 71 points and finished 7th in the league.
“I’d have bitten your hands off for this. Honestly, you don’t realise what we do day in day out and how we come together as a group.
“We’ve got a formula and a group of lads who play above their means more often than not. We’ve got a board who are very supportive and try to help out.
“And we’ve got a fantastic group of fans who are the core of this football club.”
Flynn admitted that Newport were well below par at Morecambe as they fell short of the standards they had set with their late season surge.
He added: “Aaron Collins could have scored a hat-trick if it wasn’t for Joe Day keeping us in it.
“We were poor. I always try and be as honest as I can be and we weren’t very good.
“We got into some really good positions first-half but just wasted them. In the second-half, we got cut open way too easy which was maybe the desperation of trying to chase a goal.”
But Flynn insisted it was the support of the Amber Army that helped County keep calm and eventually gain their reward at The Globe Arena through Matt.
“It’s an absolutely fantastic following. They were unbelievable all game. They didn’t stop, and I’ll be honest and say that it must have been demoralising for them all at times. Everything was going against us and we were poor.
“They roared us all on and every time we had a corner or a throw-in, they were roaring that loud I thought Forest Green must have scored. They were that loud. It was a fantastic effort from the crowd.”
Newport had to do it the hard way and come from behind after former Newport youngster Aaron Collins gave the Shrimps a 20th minute lead.
The striker ran on to a long ball and kept his cool with a sweet left foot finish under Joe Day from the edge of the area.
The second half saw Morecambe create a host of chances but Day was the visitors’ hero with two fantastic saves from Collins to keep his side in the game.
As time ran out Newport pushed bodies forward and were rewarded late in the game when the home defence failed to defend a right wing cross and Matt was in the perfect place to poke the ball home from six yards out to see his side end the regular season on a high.
