A brace from Newport County captain Joss Labadie saw Cambridge United knocked out the Emirates FA Cup in the Second Round at Rodney Parade.
The U’s were dealt a very early blow when Matty Dolan’s free kick delivery from the right was met by Labadie, who ran across his man at the near post to side foot a volley past Forde from an unmarked position.
Shaun Derry’s men gathered themselves together quickly though and soon put the hosts under pressure, with Liam O’Neil and Medy Elito both letting fly on efforts that had Newport keeper Joe Day beaten, only to sail wide by the smallest of margins inside 15 minutes.
United enjoyed the lion share of possession as the half wore on and found themselves regularly approaching the final third, but only Jevani Brown could force a save from Joe Day before the half time whistle when his drive at goal saw the Newport keeper catch the ball on the dive to his left.
The first chance of the second half fell to the U’s when Medy Elito slotted an excellent ball in behind for Harrison Dunk. The winger pulled a cross back for Uche Ikpeazu who failed to get a clean connection on his shot eight yards out that was saved by Day off the line.
With the game in the balance and United pushing for a leveller, Shaun Derry introduced Ade Azeez and David Amoo on the hour mark to try and stretch the hosts.
Azeez was straight into the thick of the action when County keeper Joe Day made a scruffy attempt at a clearance and just about averted the onrushing striker with his kick away.
However, Labadie killed the tie ten minutes from time. Frank Nouble broke down the right channel after the U’s had committed bodies forward and picked the perfect pass to Newport skipper, who again placed the ball into the bottom corner beyond the reach of Forde to seal United’s fate in the competition.
Newport County: Day, Pipe, White, O’Brien, Demetriou, Butler, Dolan (Wilmott, 76 mins), Tozer, Labadie (Rigg, 83 mins), Nouble, McCoulsky (Amon, 64 mins)
Cambridge United: Forde, Halliday, Legge, Taylor, Carroll, Dunk (Amoo, 61 mins), O’Neil, Elito, Brown, Ikpeazu, Ibehre (Azee, 61 mins)
Attendance: 2,748 (178)