NEWPORT County AFC moved to within one point of safety at the bottom of League Two with a third successive 1-0 victory, courtesy of Mickey Demetriou’s superb free-kick.

Again it was tense and tight but again the County defence held firm and Demetriou’s strike on the hour was enough to claim all three points against Yeovil Town.

A fifth win in eight games under caretaker manager Michael Flynn means his side are now just a point behind Hartlepool United, two behind Cheltenham Town and four off Yeovil.

And with four games to go, starting with Monday’s trip to Plymouth Argyle, they truly believe they can retain their Football League status.

Flynn had named an unchanged side following the shock win at Exeter City but Sean Rigg returned to the bench having missed out at St James Park with an ankle problem.

And, such is the growing conviction that the Exiles can pull off the Great Escape, fans were still queueing around the block outside Rodney Parade as the match kicked off.

Some supporters didn’t make it to their seats until midway through the first half but they missed very little in the early exchanges.

South Wales Argus:

Alex Samuel, as busy and bustling as ever up front alongside Ryan Bird, hooked a shot over the bar under pressure from on-rushing goalkeeper John Maddison.

The Glovers gloveman was similarly untroubled as Mitch Rose fired high and wide from distance and again with a wild volley shortly afterwards.

And Mark Randall, who returned to the starting XI to great effect at Exeter, proved he can still produce telling passes on the poor surface at Rodney Parade as he picked out David Pipe with two sublime balls midway through the half.

They came to nothing but he nearly created a goal when his floated free-kick was headed down by Samuel, whose shot on the rebound was well blocked.

South Wales Argus:

At the other end Joe Day was forced to tip an Alex Lacey header behind for a corner but Francois Zoko was the dangerman for the visitors.

The Ivorian striker, who nearly signed for County during John Sheridan’s brief reign last season, forced Day into a smart save before seeing a chip just clear the Exiles stopper’s bar.

The home fans thought they should have had a penalty when Bird tumbled in the box just before the break but referee Dean Whitestone was not interested.

Rigg replaced centre-back Mark O’Brien for the second half as Flynn switched from 5-3-2 to 4-3-3.

But it was the visitors who crafted the first opportunity after the interval as Otis Kahn, who had earlier been booked following a scuffle with Randall, fired over the top from the edge of the area.

County didn’t threaten Maddison, making his Football League debut at 22, again until just before the hour when Scot Bennett headed over from Randall’s corner.

Then, finally, came the breakthrough we’d been waiting for as Bird was fouled in a central position around 25 yards from goal.

Randall and Demetriou stood over the ball and the pair stopped to discuss their options while the referee got to work with his magic spray.

Whatever was said worked a treat as Demetriou curled the ball inside the far post with Maddison's view possibly hindered by his wall.

The goal was greeted by wild celebrations and a chorus of ‘The Port are staying up’ from the Hazell Stand.

With Hartlepool losing at home to Carlisle United, Flynn’s men were briefly out of the bottom two.

But Rhys Oates’ leveller for Pools means they are now just one point ahead of the Exiles with four games to go.

There were chances for County to make life more comfortable for themselves in the closing stages as Bird saw a goal ruled out for offside, Rigg curled one shot inches off target and Samuel dragged his effort wide.

But, after Yeovil substitute Jean Louis Akpa Akpro headed just wide, a third successive clean sheet meant that one goal was once again enough to close the gap and keep the dream alive.

County: Day; Pipe, O’Brien (Rigg, 46), Bennett, Demetriou, Butler; Randall (Jones, 86), Rose, Owen-Evans; Samuel (Williams 90), Bird

Subs not used: Bittner, Barnum-Bobb, Myrie-Williams, Gordon

Booked: Randall

Referee: Dean Whitestone

Attendance: 3,789 (396 Yeovil)

Argus star man: Samuel