Weston 3 County 4

SAM O Sullivan's glorious injury time winner sent the Exiles into a promotion position last night after a pulsating encounter at rivals Weston.

Despite racing into a 3-0 lead County looked destined to undo all of their good work in the past 11 games (where they've lost just once) after they produced the mother of all capitulations.

However, O'Sullivan's late winner means that three points tomorrow at home to Cambridge will guarantee County an unlikely shot at a place in the Conference.

For the first 25 minutes Peter Beadle's side were in complete control against a relegated side bereft of confidence, but they could easily have been behind by the time O'Sullivan stole it.

Supporting Newport County should carry a government health warning, what other team could turn a 3-0 lead into likely defeat in their biggest game of the season?

It is a credit to the never say die attitude of Beadle's side that they managed to rescue the vital three points, but hopefully lessons have been learned ahead of tomorrow's equally important match.

In front of a partisan away support, County began in impressive fashion, tearing Weston apart with wave after wave of penetrative attacks.

Striker Julian Alsop absolutely terrified Weston, they couldn't get near him in the opening exchanges and he won every aerial ball that came near him.

Alsop had already seen a header tipped onto the cross bar when he got the assist for County's opener on six minutes.

A nice one-two between Jason Bowen and Nathan Davies allowed Bowen to cross, Alsop headed back across goal and Craig Hughes was on hand to bundle home his 26th goal of the season.

Weston rallied briefly and Jacob Giles made a smart save to deny Marc McGregor, but a second County goal seemed more likely.

It duly arrived on 12 minutes, Richard Evans collected from Damon Searle's pass and was given a frightening amount of time and space to cross, defender Stephen Reed heading past his own goalkeeper from close range.

The Exiles sensed a chance to put the game beyond the home side and on 24 minutes they made it 3-0 with Alsop deservedly getting on the scoresheet.

Bowen and Steve Jenkins exchanged passes and Jenkins' well measured cross was inch perfect for Newport's giant number nine to score his first goal since returning from ankle surgery thanks to a firm header.

The Exiles were buzzing and a rasping 30 yarder from Craig Hughes was only just beaten out by home goalkeeper Ryan Northmore on 30 minutes.

Barring a miracle the game was all over, but after Jenkins limped off with a calf strain the Exiles fell to pieces.

They were sloppy and indecisive in defence and non-existent in midfield, unable to string two passes together.

Whether it was nerves or fatigue is irrelevant, the truth is a better side than Weston would have won last night, even after trailing by three goals!

McGregor gave the Seagulls a sniff on 37 minutes, volleying expertly across Giles into the bottom left-hand corner of the net after a poor defensive header by Searle.

McGregor was close twice more as the first half ended, but the Exiles didn't heed these warning shots during the interval.

On 50 minutes County pushed up in the hopes of winning an offside decision, but attacker Leon Hapgood was a good two yards onside and went clean-through.

The winger kept his composure and chipped Giles and just two minutes later McGregor's second made it 3-3.

The goal was horrendously simplistic, Craig Loxton's cross allowing the striker a completely free header.

Only a mixture of good fortune and excellent goalkeeping kept the Exiles in the match after that, Giles denying Hapgood on 57 minutes with a super save.

Hapgood missed a free header from just eight yards out on 65 minutes and Andy Gurney - so nearly a County player this season - also missed two decent chances as Weston's domination continued.

Nathan Davies hobbled off with a groin strain as County continued to toil, their season's aspirations suddenly hanging on by a thread.

Cardiff City product Kyle Bassett replaced Davies and was perhaps fortunate not to get sent off after an unsavoury off the ball incident that saw him yellow carded.

County's only response to Weston's dominance was a Searle freekick well saved by Northmore on 80 minutes, but time was running out when Beadle put on O'Sullivan as a last throw of the dice.

Deep into injury time O'Sullivan's chance to make an impact duly arrived and boy did he take it.

Searle's crunching tackle on Loxton gave O'Sullivan the ball and he ran at Weston's tired defence, beating three players on his way to the penalty area.

The angle was tight but O'Sullivan did just the right thing, electing to hammer a shot across goal. Northmore managed to block the ball but it went straight up and O'Sullivan continued his run to nod the ball over the line, right in front of the 500 or so County supporters who were in a segregated area behind the goal.

It was a magic moment for a Newport youngster who has come through the County academy and it might turn out to be a priceless goal for the club.

The Exiles hung on for the remainder and the scenes of celebration at the final whistle will live long in the memory.

Watching Newport County is never dull, that's for sure.

Weston: Northmore, Bailey, Reed, Gurney, Rand, Robertson, Loxton, Chapman, Hopkins, McGregor, Hapgood (Owers 90) Subs not used: Hudson, Johnson, Kilgour, Purnell County: Giles, Jenkins (Edwards 28), Searle, Davies (Bassett 57), Brough, Hillier, Bowen, Collier, Alsop, Hughes, Evans (O'Sullivan 89) Subs not used: Ovendale, Holdsworth Referee: Simon Knapp, Attendance: 685