GRIMSBY Town were victims of an old fashioned 'smash-and-grab' last night as Newport County claimed the upper hand in their play-off semi-final with a 1-0 victory at Blundell Park.
Ismail Yakubu's winner came two minutes from the end of a game that, for the most part, the Mariners had dominated.
It means that the Exiles will have a priceless lead when they welcome Rob Scott and Paul Hurst's men to Rodney Parade for the second leg on Sunday evening.
As expected, both clubs made changes to the sides that lined-up against each other just a few days ago.
Scott and Hurst made just three alterations, with James McKeown, Shaun Pearson and Andy Cook coming into the Mariners' starting line-up.
Exiles boss Justin Edinburgh responded to that 3-0 defeat by making no less than seven changes to his team, although 18-goal danger man Aaron O'Connor was conspicuous in his absence.
At a packed Blundell Park, the game nearly got off to the best possible start for the home faithful when, with just three minutes gone, Pearson flicked on a header that Liam Hearn directed goal-wards, but Lenny Pidgeley gathered with ease.
Five minutes later, in front of a vociferous travelling support, Christian Jolley won a corner and Yakubu made a hash of a free header the back post and, when the ball was worked back in, Byron Anthony planted a head over McKeown's bar.
Play quickly switched to the other end of the pitch, and some good link-up between the midfield pairing of Craig Disley and Tom Naylor allowed the former to hook a volley on target that the unsighted Pidgeley held onto well, while, back in front of the Osmond End, David Pipe blasted over with 15 minutes gone.
Two minutes later, Michael Flynn got a foot in to block Hearn's goal-bound volley as the Mariners continued to press, while in what was fast becoming an end-to-end encounter, Pipe struck over again.
Disley was booked on 22 minutes for taking down the fleet-footed Jolley as the former Wimbledon man threatened to break through the middle while, two minutes later, Lee Minshull followed the Town skipper into the book for a similarly cynical foul.
But when the Irishman was hacked down again, he nearly produced a carbon-copy free kick to that which he scored with on Saturday. It was most definitely a shot from the winger this time around and Pidgeley needed a strong left-arm to tip it over.
At the other end, from Newport's fourth corner of the game, the powerful Yakubu headed over the bar as the game reached the half hour mark as 'God Save the Queen' rang out from the Pontoon.
But roared on by their own fans, the visitors came back at Town again. First Pearson had to be alert to deny Danny Crow and seconds later, Andy Sandell drove wide from the edge of the area.
As the fourth official signalled one minute of time added on, Town had their best chance of the half, at the best possible time.
Pidgeley fumbled Devitt's drive from just outside the box, Hearn pounced on the rebound and the ball fell to Aswad Thomas. The full-back took a touch and shot towards goal from ten yards, but the former Watford stopper was equal to it once again.
That bit of goalmouth action brought a huge roar from the home crowd as referee Graham Horwood sent the two sides in level at the break.
The Mariners came out with real purpose after the restart. Hearn quickly earned two corners in succession and then Devitt flashed an effort wide of Pidgeley's goal.
But at the other end, when Crow got on the end of a long, lofted ball from Pipe, Hatton did superbly to get back and bring the threatening attack to an end.
In Pictures: Grimsby Town 0 Newport County 1
Andi Thanoj replaced Devitt just short of the hour mark and the young Albanian marked his introduction by firing over from 25 yards, before a plume of yellow smoke went up in the Osmond End after a flare was thrown on to the pitch.
And the away end went into delirium minutes later when Jolley arrowed an effort into McKeown's bottom corner – but not until after Jolley had been penalised for a push on Ian Miller and the home crowd jeered their counterparts for the premature celebrations.
As the final fifteen minutes, it was the home fans that were so nearly celebrating the opener.
Thomas got forward and clipped a far-post cross that Cook recycled, Disley showed strength – and bravery – to get his forehead to it but, agonisingly, he could only watch as the ball rebounded off the post before Tony James hacked off the line.
At the other end, Jolley twisted Pearson one way before checking out and drilling a low ball across the box that no one in a red shirt had gambled on.
It was beginning to get tense as the game entered the final five minutes. Hearn muscled his way through but couldn't find the space to pull the trigger and, seconds later, Cook planted a header on target.
Town were made to pay for those missed chances when the Welshmen hit them with a sucker punch. From a free-kick, a long ball was curled to the back post and Yakubu rose highest at the far post to nod past McKeown, before wheeling away in front of an incensed Pontoon.
Scott and Hurst's men threatened at a fight-back as the game entered five minutes of stoppage time but Miller's weak side-footed effort from a half-cleared corner drifted harmlessly wide to sum up what had been a gut-wrenching end to the evening.
At the final whistle, some members of the home crowd ambled on to the pitch, unfortunately not in celebration but only to mark the final game at Blundell Park.
The rest drifted out disappointed, but defiant, after all, as many quite rightly pointed out it's only 'half-time' in the tie.
Replay our live and interactive coverage of the game below:
