Matt Dolan's 90th-minute penalty completed the most dramatic of turnarounds as Newport County recovered from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at home to Sutton on Tuesday night.
David Ajiboye put Sutton 2-0 up at half-time, even though their captain Craig Eastmond was sent off inbetween the two strikes but goals from Lewis Collins, Courtney Baker-Richardson and Dolan's spot-kick got Newport a well-earned win.
Sutton keeper Dean Bouzanis was the first one needed to make a save, as he used his boot to clear away an effort from captain Matt Dolan before Robbie Willmott had the follow-up blocked.
In the sixth minute, Collins, in for the ill Dom Telford, shot narrowly over the bar from the edge of the box.
Following that, the referee stopped play and both sets of players, fans, staff and officials all joined in with a minute's applause to remember Arthur Labinjo-Hughes in a touching moment.
Finn Azaz then came close with a half-volley into the side netting from an acute angle before Ajiboye gave Sutton the lead with a finish beyond Joe Day after a slalom past the Newport defence.
County almost equalised immediately but Azaz's effort from six yards out was kept out by Bouzanis and two minutes later Ryan Haynes headed a Collins cross from the right over the bar in the six-yard box.
In the 34th minute, Sutton went down to 10 men after Craig Eastmond's reckless two-footed challenge on Willmott led to a straight red card for the visiting captain.
Sutton went 2-0 up in the 42nd minute though when Ajiboye cut inside Haynes and curled into the far left corner for his and his team's second of the night.
Newport started the second half brightly and were back in the game thanks to Collins' superb strike into the top right corner from range to make it 1-2.
Collins almost repeated the trick two minutes later but this time he aimed for the top left corner and it was narrowly over the bar.
Dolan suffered the same fate with a shot from distance that also cleared the left of the goal as County pushed for the leveller.
What those two couldn't manage, Baker-Richardson could as he finally got the deserved equaliser in the 63rd minute with a strike into the ground inside the area that looped over Bouzanis and in for 2-2.
Baker-Richardson almost completed the turnaround five minutes later but his powerful strike from inside the area went over the bar while Azaz had a second shot from a tight angle knocked behind for a corner by Bouzanis.
But County got the win their play deserved when the referee pointed for a penalty in second-half stoppage time and Dolan showed why he's trusted with the armband but calmly slotting the penalty low into the bottom right corner for 3-2, with Bouzanis diving the wrong way.
Newport County: Joe Day, Cameron Norman, Ryan Haynes (Aaron Lewis '45), James Clarke (Jake Cain '57), Robbie Willmott, Matt Dolan (C), Courtney Baker-Richardson (Alex Fisher '85), Finn Azaz, Lewis Collins, Mickey Demetriou, Oliver Cooper
Subs not used: Nick Townsend, Ed Upson,Scot Bennett, Kevin Ellison
Sutton United: Dean Bouzanis, Jonathan Barden, Ben Wyatt, Ben Goodliffe, Rob Milsom, Craig Eastmond (C), Kenny Davis (Enzio Boldewijn '45), Will Randall, David Ajiboye, Donovan Wilson, Omar Bugiel
Subs: Filip Chalupniczak, Ricky Korboa, Craig Dundas, Tobi Sho-Silva, Richie Bennett
Thank you to our match sponsors First Choice Utilities.