THE last time Newport County AFC made the long trip to Grimsby Town they returned without a manager as a late 1-0 defeat proved the final act of Warren Feeney’s reign.

Current boss Michael Flynn made a hasty exit from Blundell Park on Saturday but he has none of the worries that weighed so heavily on Feeney’s shoulders back in September 2016.

Flynn was rushing off to a party having driven up separately from the team coach and he has every reason to celebrate after seeing his side earn a third successive victory.

It’s been a dream start to 2018 for the Exiles and this was a performance and a result to rekindle memories of their last victory in Grimsby.

That was a play-off semi-final success in April 2013 as County ground their way to Wembley and a return to the Football League.

And, five years on, this is a campaign that is beginning to get fans dreaming of another promotion push.

Could Flynn, a key part of the Exiles midfield in the 2012-2013 season, repeat what Justin Edinburgh achieved and keep up his 100 per cent record at Wembley?

Flynn set his players the challenge of climbing into the top seven before their massive FA Cup clash with Tottenham Hotspur on January 27 and on current form that looks a distinct possibility.

They have the chance to make that breakthrough and get the jump on their rivals with a fourth straight win when they host Feeney and Crawley Town on Friday night.

And they should be confident of a positive result in front of what will be a bumper crowd after goals from Robbie Willmott and Frank Nouble gave them a fully deserved three points on Saturday.

Padraig Amond typified the visitors resolve and endeavour with a superb performance against his former side.

And he summed up the match perfectly after the final whistle.

“It was a very good victory for us,” said the Irishman. “I thought we were poor in the first ten minutes, and then the last ten minutes as well.

“But for the 70 minutes in between, we were very good.”

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Amond (above) helped create the first goal on 19 minutes as he linked up with Nouble and fed Willmott, who unleashed an unstoppable right-foot rocket inside the post from 20 yards.

The striker then saw two efforts cleared off the line, while Joss Labadie and Dan Butler were also denied by brilliant blocks.

And the crucial second goal on 56 minutes – a deflected Nouble effort – arrived within 30 seconds of a stunning save from Joe Day at the other end.

The home fans then began to get at under-fire manager Russell Slade, who received the dreaded vote of confidence from the Mariners directors last week.

The hosts pulled a goal back through substitute Jamille Matt 10 minutes from the end but his straight red card for an elbow on Mickey Demetriou ended any real hopes of a comeback, despite eight nervy minutes of time added on.

And Slade’s post-match verdict was unconvincing, to say the least.

“I don’t think that we deserved to lose the game,” he told the Grimsby Telegraph.

“We started really brightly, but we gave them the opportunity to strike and the goal gave them something to hold on to.

“We had chances to nick a goal, and eventually we got one, but we then lost momentum when Matt was sent-off.

“I think we were the better side, but it’s about scoring goals, and it’s about doing things really professionally in either box.”

That was exactly what County did and Amond admitted that the unrest in the cold Cleethorpes air helped their cause.

“It helped that there was a little bit of a negative atmosphere around the place, and we talked about that before the game,” he added.

“We played the game and the conditions. I thought we were worthy winners, even if we had to hold on at the end.”

County: Day; Pipe, White, Demetriou, Butler; Dolan (Tozer, 79), Bennett, Labadie (Reid, 84); Willmott (McCoulsky, 85), Amond, Nouble

Subs not used: Bittner, Sheehan, Collins, Hayes

Booked: Labadie, Nouble, White

Referee: Graham Salisbury

Attendance: 3,397 (County 99)