Newport 0-1 Tranmere: Rovers promoted from League Two play-off final – as it happened

Now, get a load of Jacob Steinberg’s report from Wembley:

The victorious Tranmere manager, Micky Mellon, talks after securing successive promotions. “Let’s give every credit to both sets of players, Newport kept fighting, it was a bit of a slog at the end but we’re delighted we came through it,” he says. “We are absolutely made up. Gary Brabin stopped the rot, I have just carried that on and I’m delighted to carry this group with such big hearts.”

Some post-match reaction, with Tranmere goalkeeper Scott Davies dropping a F-bomb which amuses the match-winner, Connor Jennings, no end. “I’m so proud of these boys, everyone wrote us off at Christmas,” Davies says, before letting his emotions get the better of him. “I told everyone, we’re below our level, we’ve been playing below our level for years. Everyone’s fucking ... sorry, everyone’s showing it now. It’s been a long season, a long few years. People were laughing at Tranmere when I signed here a few years ago. Now who’s laughing?”

120 min: There will be two added minutes.

117 min: Day holds after Norwood heads at goal! Tranmere patiently probe on the edge of the box, Banks swings a neat ball in towards the front post, where Norwood gets in front of his man to steer a header towards goal. It was just wide but Day had to be doubly sure, and dived to his left to gather.

116 min: Demetriou winds one up but McNulty thumps the ball clear.

115 min: Perkins, who has already been booked, drags down Azeez on halfway. Dolan fires a free-kick in. That is cleared but they win a throw-in, which Micky Demetriou will launch in from the right-hand side. Can they?

113 min: Newport launch the ball forward, the knockdown lands at the feet of the substitute Keanu Marsh-Brown and he rattles an effort towards Scott Davies’s front post. It required attention. Tranmere are readying some fresh legs of their own, with Adam Buxton replacing Sid Nelson.

112 min: Poole catches Jennings with a tired challenge, a nasty one and the Manchester United loanee picks up a booking for his efforts.

110 min: Ollie Banks, who sent a rocket into the top corner against Forest Green, arrows a shot over Joe Day’s goal. It bobbled ever so slightly before he hit it and, therefore, it was always rising.

109 min: Marsh-Brown buys a foul from Perkins on halfway but McNulty, the Tranmere skipper, stands his ground.

108 min: Marsh-Brown tries to wriggle away from David Perkins but the Tranmere midfielder does brilliantly to hold his man up before smuggling the ball away. Tranmere promptly go up the other end and Norwood bends an effort goalwards but it is deflected wide by Dan Butler. Alert Newport defending.

107 min: Marsh-Brown has a crack at goal after Dolan wins the ball 25 yards out. It is rifled low and hard, and Davies gets down to make a smart save.

106 min: Keanu Marsh-Brown is on for Robbie Willmott, a positive substitution. Newport get the second half of extra-time under way at Wembley.

105 min: There will be one added minute. Tranmere win a corner ...

104 min: Newport win a corner out of nothing. Bakinson gees everyone up. But Willmott’s header is comfortably dealt with by Scott Davies.

103 min: Ade Azeez replaces Jamille Matt, who has put a real shift in. Matt was at the centre of that huge penalty call and also tested Scott Davies with a brilliant diving header.

100 min: Jennings picks the ball up on halfway and gets his head up. There is only one destination in his mind: James Norwood. Jennings’s ball is decent, he sends it fizzing upfield but, just as Norwood is racing on to it, Demetriou dives into him and hauls him down. A livid Norwood screams for a penalty but the referee Ross Joyce shakes his head back at him. Replays shows Demetriou may well have got away with one there. The Newport defender was the last man, too.

99 min: Ridehalgh tries to reach a mammoth cross-field ball before Joe Day but it bounces out of play before either of them can get there. Meanwhile, Newport are readying another change: Ade Azeez is getting stripped in the dugout.

97 min: Monthe does superbly to shepherd the ball away from Padraig Amond, who looks just as alert now as he did at kick-off. The Newport striker has not stopped running. He and Matt have caused trouble all afternoon.

95 min: Jennings wants to slide in Norwood but he overcooks a fairly routine pass. A sheepish-looking Jennings knows that was not good enough.

94 min: A robust challenge by Ollie Banks helps Tranmere win the ball back on halfway. Mark O’Brien, the red-carded Newport skipper, is tucked inside the tunnel watching events unfold. It’s been a low-key start to extra time.

92 min: Bakinson confidently strides forward, getting a few early touches of the ball before Ollie Banks brings the Bristol City loanee to a halt. Will Newport just want to get to penalties or will they believe they can still topple Tranmere despite being a man down? Michael Flynn’s side will certainly not roll over.

91 min: Tranmere get the first period of extra time started. Tyreeq Bakinson is on for Josh Sheehan. He slots into the Newport midfield.

90+2 min: James Norwood pokes just wide! The striker makes a superb run – and the ball over the top of the Newport defence is exquisite – but Norwood cannot get his strike on target. He is all smiles as the ball drops comfortably wide. Joe Day had charged out of goal to try and make life difficult for the Tranmere man.

90 min: Bennett has dropped into centre-back for Newport. There will be five added minutes at Wembley. Can Tranmere make the advantage pay in normal time?

89 min: Mark O’Brien, the Newport captain, is sent off! Seconds after Amond is adamant Steve McNulty upended him in the box, Tranmere punt the ball forward towards James Norwood, who is blocked off by O’Brien. The referee is quick to race over and show O’Brien a second yellow card. Newport are down to 10.

88 min: Banks fouls Dolan, and Newport earn another chance to throw the ball into the area. Jamille Matt will be licking his lips ...

87 min: We are in for a nervy finale.

84 min: Newport want a penalty as Monthe stands on Matt’s big toe – but the linesman’s flag comes to Tranmere’s rescue. Ross Joyce blew his whistle and Newport were just waiting for the referee to point to the spot but, before the foul was committed, Matt played the ball into the path of the Newport skipper Mark O’Brien, who was fractionally offside. A big – but correct call.

82 min: Jennings strikes over the bar! Ben Pringle jinked in the box, opening up a yard of space away from Mark O’Brien but Newport throw a sea of amber bodies on the line to prevent that situation from escalating. Lennie Lawrence is having a word with Michael Flynn in the Newport technical area, trying to dream up a way of nabbing a late winner. This game is very much opening up.