Newport County continue to fly the Welsh flag in the Carabao Cup after a thrilling 3-2 victory over League One Portsmouth at Rodney Parade.
Portsmouth won 3-0 at Cardiff City in the first round but they will go no further after another stirring fightback from the Exiles to silence the famous Pompey chimes.
James Rowberry’s men recovered to beat Championship club Luton Town 3-2 in the first round earlier this month and they repeated the feat, with former Bluebird James Waite again scoring the second-half winner.
And, like at Kenilworth Road, they did it with a much-changed team.
While Portsmouth made eight changes from their weekend victory over Bristol Rovers, County went one better.
Exiles boss James Rowberry made nine alterations from Saturday’s much-needed win over Tranmere Rovers in League Two, with only defenders Cameron Norman and Declan Drysdale retaining their places.
It made for an open game with both sides attacking at full throttle but both defences looking wide open at times in a frantic first 45 minutes.
Pompey deservedly led 2-1 at the break thanks to two clinical strikes from Ronan Curtis, either side of Will Evans’ equaliser, but the visitors could have been out of sight by half-time.
County started brightly with Priestley Farqharson’s header tipped behind and Evans glancing a chance just wide from the corner before Pompey defender Haji Mnoga almost put his clearance into the top corner.
But the visitors were ahead in the ninth minute when Curtis finished confidently in front of the vocal away support after being put through the middle by Tom Lowery following a swift counter-attack.
Exiles goalkeeper Joe Day was out quickly to deny Dane Scarlett soon afterwards but the hosts were level on 14 minutes.
Lewis Collins’ ball into the box was nodded down by Cardiff loanee Chanka Zimba and fell invitingly for Evans to sidefoot into the top corner from close range for his first goal since his summer move from Bala Town.
The basketball nature of the first half continued as Curtis restored the away side’s lead on 25 minutes with another fine finish into the top corner from Scarlett’s cutback.
Former Exiles loan man Joe Pigott then volleyed against the bar from Lowery’s cross before firing over the top moments later with the home defence in disarray.
And Scarlett turned Drysdale inside out but was denied by the feet of goalkeeper Day just before the break.
The see-saw contest continued in the opening stages of the second half as Aaron Wildig levelled once again with a clever glancing header from Adam Lewis’ cross four minutes after the restart.
And Day was forced into a fingertip save to prevent Curtis completing his hat-trick a minute later.
The contest tightened as both sides introduced more experience in defence and the match looked destined for penalties.
But substitute Waite got Rodney Parade rocking as he picked out the bottom corner from 20 yards to put the Exiles ahead for the first time on 74 minutes and seal another memorable cup victory.
Newport County (4-2-2-2) : J Day; C Norman, P Farquharson (M Demetriou, 61), D Drysdale, Adam Lewis; R Willmott, S Bowen (N Moriah-Welsh, 70); L Collins, A Wildig (J Waite, 71); W Evans, C Zimba (O Bogle, 83)
Subs not used: N Townsend, M Dolan, Aaron Lewis, T Nevers, T Stokes
Scorers : W Evans 14, Wildig 49, J Waite 74
Booked : R Willmott, W Evans, D Drysdale
Portsmouth (4-4-2): J Griffiths; Z Swanson (K Freeman, 33), H Mnoga, C Robertson (S Raggett, 68), C Ogilvie; R Hackett (O Dale, 68), J Mingi, T Lowery (M Pack, 63), R Curtis; J Pigott, D Scarlett (M Jacobs, 64)
Subs not used: J Rafferty, J Oluwayemi, A Payce, J Dockerill
Scorers: R Curtis 9, 25
Booked : S Raggett, J Mingi
Referee : J Busby
