Late heartbreak for the Jammers as they exit the FA Cup after a proud run

Maldon & Tiptree bowed out of the FA Cup in heartbreak fashion, Newport County netting a 90th minute winner in front of a sell-out crowd of 1,876 at Park Drive tonight.

The television cameras captured the action live, on BBC2, boosting the Jammers' coffers to £150,000 earned from their Cup exploits this term, and for so long it looked as though they were going to force a replay at Rodney Parade, until Padraig Amond poached a late winner.

Front-runner Amond headed firmly home from substitute George Nurse's cross, to finally end the Jammers' proud and historic run in the FA Cup, which had yielded a superb 2-1 win at Leyton Orient in the first round.

The Jammers' Cup campaign had begun back in mid-August, kicking off with a 2-1 win over Saffron Walden Town in the preliminary round.

Maldon & Tiptree fans watch the action during the FA Cup second round tie against Newport, which the visitors won 1-0 via a 90th minute goal. Picture: PA SPORT (Image: PA Wire)

And it looked as though Wayne Brown's men would have their name in the hat for the third round draw, until that late goal broke the hearts of the Isthmian League North outfit.

The Jammers kept their League Two visitors at bay during the first half, although they rode their luck a few times.

Defender Mark O'Brien squandered two good chances inside the first 25 minutes, firing a loose ball over the bar from a rebound early on, and then ballooning another free shot over the top from eight yards out.

Tristan Abraham missed an even better opportunity on 33 minutes. Keeper Ben McNamara failed to catch a cross and Abrahams looked certain to score, only for his shot to be cleared off the goal-line by Lance Akins.

Maldon & Tiptree manager, Wayne Brown, pictured before the FA Cup tie against Newport County. Picture: PA SPORT (Image: PA Wire)

The Jammers weathered the storm and actually finished the first half on top, although their only goal attempt before the break came from Danny Parish, who volleyed over from Stephane Ngamvoulou's excellent chipped pass on 45 minutes.

It was a second half of few chances, but with Maldon enjoying more of the territory, and they almost broke the deadlock on 76 minutes when Ngamvoulou's opportunist 25-yarder was tipped over the bar by keeper Nick Townsend. That was a fine effort.

Ngamvoulou forced another save from Townsend on 87 minutes, before Amond won it in the last mintue of normal time.

Maldon & Tiptree's Tyrique Hyde and Newport County's Padraig Amond battle for the ball during the FA Cup second round tie at Park Drive. Picture: PA SPORT (Image: PA Wire)