A goal from Connor Jennings, scored in the final moments of extra time ensured Tranmere Rovers will take their place in League One next season after securing successive play-off final victories.
It took until the 119th minute for Micky Mellon’s side to kill off the resistance of a spirited Newport County side who played the additional 30 minutes with 10 men following the dismissal of Mark O’Brien, their captain, in the last minute of normal time after the midfielder collected a second yellow card.
Promotion means Tranmere will return to the third tier after a five-year absence, three of which were spent outside the Football League before last season’s National League play-off final victory over Boreham Wood.
Mellon, the Tranmere manager, saluted his players’ determination and singled Jennings out for praise for the way he has handled himself following a family bereavement.
“I’m so pleased for him,” said Mellon. “I don’t want to get all romantic and all emotional but he has had a tough couple of weeks. He has lost his grandad. We didn’t even know, he just went out and played against Forest Green.
“We kind of knew something was up with him because he wasn’t himself but he wasn’t looking for any excuses and we found out later his grandad had died that day. He’s a real tough cookie and he has a fantastic family. A story like that is what football is all about, and he goes and gets the winner.”
Newport’s frustration was compounded by what Michael Flynn was convinced was a clear penalty when Jamille Matt went down under a challenge from Manny Monthe, the Tranmere defender, in the 85th minute, prompting the Newport manager to question the decision not to use VAR in a game of this significance.
“It’s frustrating, there wasn’t much in the game at all,” said Flynn. “It was a good game but poor in the final third from both teams. I want to congratulate Tranmere first before I go on and say what I’m going to say. We’re at the home of football, Wembley, got all the VAR equipment, you’ve got referees who are full-time referees and a big decision today absolutely killed us.
“It’s a stonewall penalty and I cannot believe it wasn’t given, so that’s my frustration. We’ve seen a replay, it was 100 per cent a penalty. He said it was a touch but it wasn’t enough. It’s a very poor decision. It’s a play-off final and with these improvements, you can’t get big decisions like that wrong. It’s not a Mickey Mouse game and I hope they bring VAR in for the next couple of games because you don’t want big decisions going against teams and costing them promotion.”
Joe Day, the Newport goalkeeper, saved superbly from James Norwood’s first half volley before Scott Davies matched his efforts in the second half to deny Matt. The decisive moment, though, came when Jennings met Jake Caprice’s cross in the 119th minute.
Match details
Newport County (3-5-2) Day; Poole, O’Brien, Demetriou; Willmott (Marsh-Brown 106), Bennett, Sheehan (Bakinson 91), Labadie (Dolan 72), Butler; Matt (Azeez 103), Amond.
Substitutes Pipe, Crofts, McKirdy. Booked Matt, O’Brien, Pool. Sent off O’Brien.
Tranmere Rovers (4-2-3-1) Davies; Caprice, Nelson (Buxton 115), Monthe, Ridehalgh, Banks, Perkins; Morris (McNulty 82,), Harris (Pringle 53,), Jennings; Norwood.
Substitutes Pilling (g), Dagnall, Mullin, Gilmour. Booked Perkins.
Referee Ross Joyce (Cleveland).
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Tranmere Rovers are promoted to League One
Huge credit must go to Newport, who were probably the better side over 90 minutes and put up an incredible fight with 10 men. They were but a minute away from taking it to penalties, but in the end Tranmere had the pure desire to steal it at the end. They deserve it after everything they've been through.
Goal! Newport 0 Tranmere 1
It's heartbreak for Newport, but joy for Tranmere! That is surely the winner, in the final minute of extra time! Caprice, the right-back, plays in a sublime ball from the right, and Connor Jennings steals in unmarked, heading back across goal and into the back of the net! Pandemonium in the stands.
ET 25 min - Newport 0 Tranmere 0
Marsh-Brown has been the danger man for Newport since coming on. He fizzes in another low strike but once again Davies is equal to it, and saves comfortably. These moments are few and far between for the Welshman, though, as Tranmere continue to control the possession. Just over five minutes left until penalties...
ET 18 min - Newport 0 Tranmere 0
Chance! Another great chance, this time up the other end. Norwood has it in a bit of space and takes a shot at Day's goal, but Butler - who's had a brilliant game - does really well to get a foot on it. This is exhausting to even watch, let alone play 120 minutes in searing (English, admittedly) heat.
ET 16 min - Newport 0 Tranmere 0
Chance! Marsh-Brown immediately makes an impact. He has the ball on the right edge of the area and it looks as if he will cross, but instead he powers a strong shot low towards the near post. Davies does well to get down and save, pushing it behind for a corner which comes to nothing.
Half-time in extra time - Newport 0 Tranmere 0
New ort have clung on for the first 15, and are just quarter of an hour away from levelling the playing field and forcing a penalty shootout. You can feel the tension permeating through the ground now. The fans are edgy and desperate. This is what play-off football is all about.
ET 13 min - Newport 0 Tranmere 0
Newport substitution: Azeez on for Matt. Newport are pinned back in their own half and can't get ahold of the ball here, let alone mount an attack. They respond by bringing on Ade Azeez, who is often dangerous from the bench. Jamille Matt makes way after putting in a good shift.
Full time - Newport 0 Tranmere 0
Newport make a couple of desperate attempts to win it late with Demetriou long throws, but Tranmere deal with them well, and it will be extra time in the League Two play-off final. Tranmere are now huge favourites with 30 minutes with the extra man in this heat, but stranger things have happened. This season, in fact.
88 min - Newport 0 Tranmere 0
Red card! Mark O'Brien has been sent off for Newport! the captain takes out James Norwood as Tranmere attempt to break, and since he'd already been booked the ref had no option to send him for an early bath. That's a devastating blow for the Welshmen, who have a few more minutes to eek out before extra time.
85 min - Newport 0 Tranmere 0
Penalty shout! Drama! So much drama! Jamille Matt goes down in the area and Newport are begging for a penalty, but the ref instead blows up for offside for the pass Matt makes as he goes down. He was definitely caught by Monte, but Matt has played the ball before being caught, so the offside is the right call. Fine, fine margins.
79 min - Newport 0 Tranmere 0
Chance! Matt makes some space on the edge of the area and slips a pass to Amond, who attempts to curl one low into the bottom corner with traffic in his way. It's an easy save for Davies. It feels like this game has been on the bring of exploding for the last 20 minutes. Just one magic moment is all it takes...
73 min - Newport 0 Tranmere 0
Great chance! That's the best opportunity of the game. It's Butler, the Newport left-back, who again has space to cross, and it's a wonderful ball in. Matt steams in at the far post and gets his diving header on target, but it's brilliant from Davies to scramble across and save after his whole defence had seemingly switched off. He actually palms it onto the post there, and still has the wherewithal to clear it away afterwards. Top work.
67 min - Newport 0 Tranmere 0
O'Brien booked. It's a yellow for the Newport captain after he clatters Jennings to the ground. That was probably as much for an accumulation of fouls, though. Tranmere are enjoying a little period of dominance here, and are especially making hay down the right-hand side.
43 min - Newport 0 Tranmere 0
Norwood is fuming, and he has reason to be. He makes a brilliant run through the middle, splitting the two centre-backs, but Perkins holds onto the ball when the pass was on, and lets the chance go begging. The Tranmere striker would have been clean through there, and he doesn't miss many opportunities like that. A waste.
38 min - Newport 0 Tranmere 0
Mickey Demetriou's long throws could well be a factor in this game. He's already launched a few into the box and Tranmere struggle to deal with the latest. It ping pongs around the area before they eventually get a clearance in. Down the other end Perkins gets a shot on target, but tame is the only word you'd use to describe it.
31 min - Newport 0 Tranmere 0
Chance! It's another opportunity for Newport. This time it's O'Brien, who's stayed upfield after a corner, who gets his head on a ball in from the left. He tries to nod it in the direction of Amond and there's a scramble in the box, but in the end no one can get a foot of it and it goes behind for a goal kick. Let off.
25 min - Newport 0 Tranmere 0
What a chance! Caprice, the Tranmere right-back, is dangerous down the flank and gets a great ball into the box for James Norwood. Norwood does really well to catch it on the volley at a difficult height and still hit the target with a powerful strike, but Day's reactions match it to keep Newport at 0-0. Norwood's shot was pretty much straight at him, but that still goes down as a good save from Day.
23 min - Newport 0 Tranmere 0
It's settled down a little, as it probably had to, with the teams looking as evenly matched as we'd hoped. The playing styles are quite different, with Tranmere looking to be direct and penetrate with pace, while Newport are desperate to make use of those wide areas and put balls into the box.
12 min - Newport 0 Tranmere 0
Connor Jennings has started this game really well, and he's in the action again, finding the ball at his feet around 20 years from goal to the left of the area. He tries to bend one into the top corner but his radar is off, and the shot sails harmlessly over the bar. It's been a brilliant start here at Wembley, a game full of energy.
7 min - Newport 0 Tranmere 0
Chance! Tranmere are already starting to look dangerous, and no surprise it's Norwood who's causing problems. He gets in down the right and fires a ball across the face of goal for Jennings. It's wonderful defending from the captain O'Brien, though, who slides in to deny what would have been a certain goal.
Newport's own striking talent
It's not only Tranmere with firepower up front. Newport's Jamille Matt and Padraig Amond might be the most deadly strike force in League Two - they combined for 43 goals this season, and start together again today.
Given Newport's ability to win close games (they finished seventh despite having a goal difference of zero), just one chance for Matt or Amond could seal a historic day for the men from Wales.
The James Norwood factor
The Tranmere striker scored 30 league goals this season - the first time anyone has reached that mark since Tom Pope for Port Vale in 2012/13. He scored the winner in last year's National League play-off final, and is the man who could make the difference again today at Wembley. You can't take your eyes off No 10.
Michael Flynn's magical transformation
When Flynn took over as Newport boss in March 2017 they were 11 points from safety in League Two. He dragged them out of the mire, and now they're one game away from reaching the third-tier of English football for the first time since the 1986/87 season.
They haven't just reached the play-off final this season, of course, they also went on a stunning FA Cup run. They knocked out Leicester and Middlesbrough before falling to eventual champions Manchester City in the fifth round.
They're no strangers, then, to the big occasion. "It's not just a game of intelligence, patterns of play and philosophies, they've got to be able to handle the occasion as well," Flynn said of his players.
"There will be no stone left unturned. We'll be as prepared as we can be, this week has gone well so far, and we'll have them ready in peak condition for Saturday.
"We do our homework on every team we play, whether it's Tottenham Hotspur or Maidstone United."
Mike Dean, Tranmere super fan
Don't be surprised to see a few shots of Mike Dean in the crowd at Wembley today. The theatrical Premier League referee is a huge fan of the club, and stole a bit of his favourite team's thunder after the play-off semi-final, when he was captured on film celebrating wildly at the final whistle.
🎉🏟 - MIKE DEAN AND TRANMERE ARE HEADING TO WEMBLEY!
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 13, 2019
The Premier League referee cannot hide his excitement at The New Lawn as his side secure their place in the play-off final! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZCrOur7xbn
Dean is never one to shy away from the spotlight - his flourishing red cards and over-eager penalty calls have become a thing of meme-worthy legend - and he was up on his seat leading the cheers as Tranmere secured yet another trip to the home of football.
His fellow fans love it - with several turning up today wearing Mike Dean masks. Yes, Mike Dean masks are a thing that really exist now. All eyes on the man in black if Tranmere secure promotion this afternoon, he might go on a bender which lasts until the start of next season...
Newport team news
Newport's team is out now too. Here's how they'll line up, with the big news being striker Jamille Matt is fit enough to start after early concerns he might be ruled out with a leg injury.
TEAM NEWS | This afternoon's #NCAFC team for the 2018/19 #SkyBetLeagueTwo Play-Off Final 🆚 @TranmereRovers 👇#StepUp | #OurJourneyContinues pic.twitter.com/HNwBruK1ye
— Newport County AFC (@NewportCounty) May 25, 2019
Tranmere team news
Tranmere have announced their line-up. It's a strong side for the slight favourites, who will be hoping for a masterclass from David Perkins in midfield.
đź‘Ź Here's how we line up for today's Sky Bet League Two Play-Off final...#TRFC #SWA pic.twitter.com/9dDYXyASe1
— Tranmere Rovers (@TranmereRovers) May 25, 2019
The underdog final
Both Newport County and Tranmere Rovers upset set the odds to get here, but here they are - at Wembley - 90 minutes away from promotion to League One.
It's rare that the sixth and seventh-placed teams contest a play-off final - the last time it happened in League Two was the 2012/13 season. Tranmere knocked out fifth-place Forest Green Rovers to make the final - thanks in part to Forest Green getting a man sent off in each leg - while Newport beat fourth-placed Mansfield 5-3 on penalties after a pair of draws.
Today's setting is very familiar for Tranmere, this is their third play-off final in as many years, and manager Micky Mellon - proud owner of one of the best names in English football - is hoping that big game experience can see his team past the Welshmen.
"We are familiar there [at Wembley] now and there is less to concentrate on in terms of the environment, and it is as important as focusing on the game as that's all we can affect," he said.
Newport, on the other hand, are contesting their first play-off final since 1991, before many of their squad were even born.
Tranmere may hold the advantage of familiarity, but Newport have had their number in the Football League. The last time Tranmere beat them in a Football League meeting was in April 1988.
Newport won 1-0 at Prenton Park earlier this season, before Tranmere earned a 0-0 draw at Rodney Parade. There were also just two points between them in the final league standings, meaning we should be in for a close affair. Expect early nerves.
We're about an hour from kick-off, and should have team news with you very shortly...