FAR from spoiling Plymouth Argyle’s promotion party, Newport County AFC were the perfect guests as the hosts sealed their place in League One by running riot in the Devon sun.

After a goalless opening 40 minutes, two goals in three minutes before the break eased any nerves amongst the capacity home crowd and the County defence simply could not cope with the rampant Argyle attack in the second half.

In the end it was 6-1 but it could have been seven or eight, such was Plymouth’s dominance.

The only positive for Michael Flynn’s men was that relegation rivals Hartlepool United were beaten 2-1 at basement boys Leyton Orient.

That means Pools are still just one point above the Exiles with three games to go.

But this result has certainly done some serious damage to the goal difference and could well put a big dent in their confidence for the battles ahead.

It had all started well for the visitors and there was no sign of what was to come in the opening stages.

Flynn made two changes to the side that had beaten Yeovil Town 1-0 on Friday afternoon, one enforced and one tactical.

In defence Mark O’Brien failed to recover sufficiently from illness to retain his place in the starting XI and was replaced by Darren Jones.

And up front Sean Rigg returned from an ankle injury with Ryan Bird dropping to the bench.

Both had demons to exorcise against Plymouth but, once again, this wasn’t to be their day.

Rigg was sent off on his last trip to Home Park in the FA Cup in December.

While Jones was the man who conceded the crucial penalty in the replay at Rodney Parade that saw Argyle earn a third round trip to play Liverpool.

Rigg worked hard alongside Alex Samuel as the pair tried to forge a way through the Argyle back four but, despite occasional support from Mark Randall and Tom Owen-Evans, they were always up against it.

Most of the action was at the other end and Jones put in a good block to deny Ryan Taylor early on and played his part in an impressive rear-guard action from the visitors in the opening 40 minutes.

David Sarcevic almost put the Pilgrims ahead in the sixth minute but his volley was just over the top of Joe Day’s bar.

Dan Butler blocked a Jake Jervis effort and Matty Kennedy, on loan from Cardiff City, glanced a header wide from Sarcevic’s cross.

Day saved comfortably from Kennedy and David Fox fired just wide from distance.

Plymouth were dominant and it was only a matter of time before the pressure told on the Exiles defence.

And two goals in three minutes effectively sealed the victory for Derek Adams as well as promotion.

Kennedy managed to beat Day with a looping header into the far corner of the net on 39 minutes after the initial danger appeared to have been snuffed out.

And, with the 14,000 home fans already celebrating promotion, Day and Mickey Demetriou presented Jervis with a gift of a second goal.

Day rushed out in an attempt to claim a through ball and Demetriou tried to nod the ball back to his goalkeeper but his contact was poor and Jervis nipped in to roll it into an empty net.

Flynn replaced injured captain David Pipe with Jazzi Barnum-Bobb for the second half as he looked for a way back into the match.

But it was game over seven minutes after the interval when Graham Carey turned Butler one way and then the other before lashing the ball inside the post from 10 yards out.

Taylor put the icing on the cake with a fabulous flick of his heel to divert Kennedy’s cross beyond Day.

And, after Samuel had wasted two decent chances to grab a consolation goal, Kennedy rubbed salt into the Exiles’ wounds by curling in a fifth after a rapid breakaway.

And the sixth and final strike was a drilled effort from Jervis from the edge of the box for his second of the game on 73 minutes before Scot Bennett limped off.

Substitute Aaron Williams smashed a goal past Luke McCormick as County tried to salvage some pride in stoppage time.

But it was a day to forget and Flynn must get it out of his players’ minds in time for Saturday’s home clash with Accrington Stanley.

County: Day; Pipe (Barnum-Bobb, 46) Jones, Bennett (Nelson, 75), Demetriou, Butler; Owen-Evans, Rose, Randall (Williams, 61); Rigg, Samuel

Subs not used: Bittner, Myrie-Williams, Gordon, Bird

Booked: Jones

Referee: Graham Horwood

Attendance: 13,971 (337 County)

Argus star man: Owen-Evans