GRIMSBY Town's promotion dream came to an abrupt end on a deeply frustrating afternoon in South Wales.
Rather than the rip-roaring comeback that Mariners fans have been dreaming of since last week's 1-0 home defeat in the first leg, their 2012/13 campaign petered out in tepid style.
And just one shot on target all match summed up their efforts on a day that required so much more.
Even the chance of a rapid return to Wembley for a revenge mission against Wrexham couldn't help Town raise their game on a truly disappointing occasion for every one of the 667 visiting fans in attendance.
The Mariners bosses opted to dispense with their tried and trusted 4-4-2 formation for the crunch clash, with Craig Disley, Tom Naylor and Andi Thanoj lining up as a midfield three.
Up top, Liam Hearn was supported from the wide areas by Marcus Marshall and Joe Colbeck – who returned from a fourth match suspension.
That left a bench with a heavy emphasis on attack – including Andy Cook, Ross Hannah and Dayle Southwell.
For Justin Edinburgh's hosts, top scorer Aaron O'Connor returned to action, but only as a substitute.
The players walked out to pyrotechnics and an intimidating Rodney Parade welcome, and it was the hosts who had the first effort of the game as Danny Crow flicked a header wide of the mark.
Within a couple of minutes, Town had also registered a shot of their own – Naylor won Disley's free-kick into the box and was teed-up by Hearn to slice well wide from ten yards out.
Disley was then on the end of Colbeck's excellent right-wing cross, but could only nod it back into the danger area where it was hacked clear.
There were 15 minutes played when the visitors went close again – and should have been ahead.
Sam Hatton's wicked, driven free-kick was cleverly flicked inside by Ian Miller and it was Naylor again with time and space in the area. However, the on-loan man scuffed his shot slightly and Lenny Pidgeley was able to get down low to his left and push the ball away for a corner.
County weren't relying solely on their one-goal advantage from the first leg, and Disley had to get in a superb block to deny Michael Flynn as the match passed the 20-minute mark.
In Pictures: Newport 1 Grimsby Town 0 (agg 2-0)
The Mariners had more than held their own in the early stages and, crucially, had gained a foothold in the middle of the park.
However, full-back David Pipe headed wide in the 28th minute as the hosts upped the pressure and the opening goal followed three minutes later – Christian Jolley racing clear of Shaun Pearson and guiding an excellent finish past James McKeown from just inside the Town box.
Jolley hooked another effort over the crossbar, Alex Gilbey tested McKeown from 25 yards and Andy Sandell headed well, as the home crowd found their voice again.
The Mariners looked stretched and were suddenly hanging on as half-time approached, as County's wing-backs pushed on and made use of the spaces around the sides of Town's middle three.
Gilbey kept McKeown honest with another drive from distance before the visitors finally worried the home faithful again as Disley bent a 20-yarder narrowly wide with his left boot.
The skipper volleyed Marshall's cross wide to end the half. And, despite having a two-goal deficit to recover, the Mariners were perhaps the more grateful for the break.
Changes were needed at half-time, and they came – with Cook coming on for Pearson, and Town switching to a 4-4-2 with Naylor slotting in at the back.
The Mariners also needed to start the half quickly but it was County who almost claimed a 3-0 aggregate lead but for Flynn's scuffed shot wide ten minutes in.
At the other end, Cook saw a header deflected over following an excellent Marshall cross and, when the play switched again, Crow flicked the ball into the Town net only to be flagged offside.
McKeown grabbed Flynn's 25-yarder at the second attempt but the tie was slipping away from the Mariners as the hour mark came and went without further incident.
Miller almost diverted the ball past his own keeper before Thanoj cleared off the line moments later, and still Town failed to push on despite the arrivals of Hannah and Southwell in place of Hearn and Hatton.
One goal for the visitors could have changed the whole dynamic but the Mariners weren't coming close and Wembley was disappearing into the distance.
They should have been put out of their misery 13 minutes from time when Jolley danced through the defence and pulled the ball back for Gilbey who somehow pulled his shot wide from 12 yards out.
The game was up heading into the final ten minutes and everyone at Rodney Parade knew it.
Having not forced Pidgeley into a save of note in the second period, the Mariners' campaign was ending with a whimper.
And at the final whistle, the home crowd charged onto the pitch to celebrate reaching an all-Welsh Conference play-off final on Sunday.
The Mariners, meanwhile, trudged off contemplating a fourth season outside the Football League.
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