What are the greatest mysteries of recent times? Area 51? The Zodiac killer?

No, none of those. The greatest mystery of our time is the fact that Mansfield vs Newport somehow finished 0-0.

Both sides had numerous opportunities to put the ball in the back of the net, and every single time they either fluffed their lines, or more often than not, the opposition keeper pulled off heroics worthy of a statue being made in their honour. Whoever was to triumph in the match, the credit must go to both goalkeepers, who somehow kept a game with a total of 45 (fourty-five) attempts on goal at 0-0.

I’d said before a ball was even kicked in any playoff game that Mansfield wouldn’t be able to pick themselves up after losing out on automatic promotion, and Newport’s resilience and momentum going into the tie would carry them all the way to Wembley. In the first leg, I wasn’t really proven right. Mansfield showed a lot of quality, coming straight out of the blocks to try and hurt Mansfield and put the tie to bed as quickly as possible. When CJ Hamilton smashed the ball high into the Newport goal just 12 minutes in, it looked as if they may do just that.

But Newport, plucky old Newport, had different ideas.

They managed to take a 1-1 draw back to Field Mill courtesy of star-man Padraig Amond’s clinical penalty. All to play for, then.

Mansfield made just 1 change from the side that got a draw at Rodney Parade, with Neal Bishop missing out through a calf injury sustained in that match, being replaced by Willem Tomlinson. Newport did the same, making just 1 change from the first leg in the form of Joss Labadie, who came in for Matty Dolan. (More on him later…)

It was end-to-end stuff in the opening exchanges, with Logan replicating his first leg heroics by pulling out a fantastic save from Sheehan’s effort, and Day dealing with any dangerous balls that came his way at the other end. Sheehan again went close with a stinging volley, but couldn’t quite direct the ball into the Mansfield net. Amond fired into the side netting before Sheehan, who was looking very lively in the first half, tried his luck again, firing into the Mansfield wall from a free-kick.

Newport were certainly coming into the game as the first-half wore on, but couldn’t find a way past the wall that is Conrad Logan. Mansfield weren’t without their own chances, though, as CJ Hamilton was looking his dangerous best, causing the Newport defence a lot of worries. The Exiles hit the woodwork not once, but twice in the closing minutes of the first half, firstly from a Labadie effort which smacked the crossbar, and next with a Mansfield defender heading onto his own bar, with a guilt-edged chance for Amond thrown in between them.

There was very little to separate the sides going into half-time, with Newport obviously hitting the woodwork twice and feeling as if they could’ve scored two or three, but Mansfield were also looking dangerous, going close a couple of times themselves. It was quite unbelievable at half-time that the game was still goalless, but of course that would change. There had to be a goal coming, right? Right?

Mansfield brought Benning on for Tomlinson, clearly trying something a bit different after the frustrating lack of end product in the first 45. The end-to-end nature of the match was here to stay, though, with Mansfield starting to look lively before Newport went up the other end and went close themselves. Walker was playing quite well, and you got the impression that it was just a matter of time before he added to his already impressive tally this season, consistently trying to carve something out in attack. Scot Bennett hit the bar with an excellent strike on the hour-mark, making it the third time in the match that Newport had been denied by the woodwork. This came right before Logan AGAIN made a magnificent save to deny the unluckiest man in football in Josh Sheehan, who at this point really must have been wondering if football is the sport for him.

Like I said, greatest mystery of modern times.

The travelling Newport fans were doing their utmost to keep their players’ spirits high and see their team into a Wembley final, with the home fans trying to do the exact opposite, creating the perfect atmosphere for a match of such importance to both sides. Walker twice went close, first being denied by a fantastic Day save, and second firing wide with a superb opportunity. Neither side could find a late winner, and the game headed towards an extra 30 minutes which, let’s be honest, we all really, really wanted. Not so sure if the fans’ hearts could take anymore, mind you.

Right before the end of the first half of extra-time, Joe Day pulled off an unbelievable save to deny Walker, and then the rebound effort from Danny Rose was cleared off the line in dramatic fashion. The game somehow wasn’t slowing in tempo, even after 105 minutes of football, and I know I’m repeating myself but I really must stress, I don’t know how this game was still 0-0.

The first 90 minutes couldn’t separate them, the next 120 couldn’t either, and so we headed to a penalty shootout where, on the evidence of the game, someone was going to win 1-0 on penalties. After some heart-in-mouth scenes, Newport finally triumphed in the tie, with Tyler Walker being the only player to miss a penalty in the shootout, which subsequently saw Matty Dolan tuck away the goal which would see Newport County face either Tranmere or Forest Green at Wembley on the 25th of May.

The 210 minutes of football we saw were scintillating, and magnificent advert for League 2 football. We saw 70 shots on goal, 10 goals, a penalty, and so many world-class saves it made my head disintegrate. Newport’s warrior mentality pulled them through in the end, and they probably deserved to win the tie overall, but Mansfield certainly took them right to the wire, producing some of the fantastic football we’ve seen from them all season, but it just wasn’t enough.

It was a cruel, cruel way to lose a tie, and I really do feel for the Mansfield fans, staff and players, not least Tyler Walker who, after the season he’s had, didn’t really deserve to miss the penalty that cost his team a place at Wembley. If I was a Mansfield fan, I’d be asking questions of Flitcroft at this point, but I feel the dust has to settle before an inquest is held, and ultimately the Stags can be immensely proud of the fight they’ve shown this season, pick themselves up, and go again next season. For Newport, it’s a playoff final. They deserved it in the end, and showed the grit and determination that bought them a tie with Manchester City in the FA Cup. Whatever the result in that final, this will go down as a memorable season for the Exiles, who have more than proven their worth.

Just the five more playoff games, then?

words Alex Gardner, D3D4 writer