County number two Mark Smith hailed the critical 2-1victory over play-off chasing Chesterfield and immediately agreed his Exiles' League Two destiny is now back in their own hands.
Second-half strikes from Harrison Biggins and Michael Spellman clinched a successive win for Newport at Rodney Parade, a first in 2026, - the Spireites sub's late replay through Dilan Markanday ultimately a consolation.
Smith, who, with Port manager Christian Fuchs, is masterminding County's escape from the section trap-door beamed, " We want to be in control of our own own destiny and not to be worrying about other team's results. The next step is to get out of the bottom two. For us, it's about getting the basics right and staying in control of things."
This latest County win means they have now taken seven points from their last five games - a sequence that could have been even more impressive after the terrific performances at top-dogs Bromley and Gillingham, unlucky odd-goal reverses.
Fellow strugglers Harrogate collapsed at Wetherby Road to Gillingham, Bristol Rovers went down away at Salford, Shrewsbury were hammered 5-1 at MK Dons - only Crawley winning 1-0 at freefalling Barrow with a last-gasp score sullied County's day. The Gwent club are now only one point from safety in League Two and within striking distance of many rivals around them.
Up-beat Smith declared , " I think this [our] result today was coming. The boys, everyone deserve this. We have had a great week of training, the boys have put everything in. From the warm-up today, everything was primed for the win."
County needed to combat a stiff wind in their faces, manoeuvring matters through a goal-less opening period - the Spireites, though, muffing golden opportunities through Freddie Ladapo and Liam Mandeville.
Said Smith, "We looked at things [the wind] at the end of the first half. We said to the boys at the break we had done a good job - half the task had been achieved. We believed we would turn the elements to our advantage in the second half. "
Former Crystal Palace coach Smith believes the Exiles can now turn Rodney Parade into a venue opponents will not relishing visiting, County waited over nine months for a league maximum - now two have arrived in successive NP19 dates within 26 days/
He acknowledged, "We wanted to build Rodney Parade into the fortress in used to be for County. Now we have back-to-back victories here [with a 2-0 win over Crewe and now the 2-1 triumph over Chesterfield].
"It was so important to turn things around. We have now got to kick on against Accrington next Tuesday.
"It's a quick turnaround isn't it? We'll be back at it in training on Monday, preparing for the following day. We must, now, get on a roll."
Next up Accrington then, and the trip to Bristol Rovers for a six-point relegation dog-fight in front of the Sky Sports cameras the following Saturday.
"It's a big week coming up, acknowledged Smith, adding, "we'll look to pick up more points to get us into a better position"
Geordie Spellman's sweet left foot clinched County's victory after the hour to win Man of the Match accolades, of course. But energetic midfielder Biggins, on loan from Shrewsbury, notched the Exiles' opener to set them up for the maximum.
Smith reflected, "He [Biggins] gave an all-action performance at Gillingham last week - and did it again today. He pulled up a real performance. We told the boy give us everything - and he did, but that went for everyone.
"We had first-half bookings [Biggins and Matt Smith]. But you are talking about season professionals. They knew how to handle things and managed the situation really well."
Asked if he was edgy when Chesterfield cut the deficit in the 85th minute through Markanday, Smith smiled, " Yes, but we have boys who knew how how to see out that type of situation. They knew how to act."
