Newport County dramatically secured their League Two survival as they scored two late goals to win at bottom side Barrow and condemn the home team to relegation.

With 15 minutes left, the Welsh club's 13-year stay in the Football League looked like it was coming to an end as they trailed 1-0 and results elsewhere meant Christian Fuchs' side were in the drop zone.

But substitute Tom Davies and forward Bobby Kamwa struck to spark wild celebrations among the Newport fans, an estimated 1,000 of whom had made the long journey to Cumbria.

To pull off an improbable escape act, Barrow needed to beat Newport and hope Crawley and Harrogate lost – with a huge swing in goal difference.

The Cumbrians started superbly and led in the ninth minute as Charlie McCann volleyed in after Rekeem Harper's cross from the right was only half-cleared.

The hosts, managed by ex-Newport player Sam Foley, missed chances to extend their advantage as they bossed the first half.

Josh Gordon then had a penalty saved by visiting goalkeeper Jordan Wright early in the second period as Newport tried to cling on to their Football League status.

The away side eventually started to pose a threat of their own, as Kamwa rattled the crossbar with a thumping effort.

A defensive mix-up led to Barrow goalkeeper Killian Barrett seeing his clearance blocked by James Crole, who set up Davies to bring Newport level with a cool finish.

Then Kamwa – County's two-goal hero in the extraordinary 3-2 win over Oldham a week earlier – cut in from the left and fired a fine shot into the far corner to seal his team's survival.

On a day when the League Two table changed frantically with relegation a possibility for each one of the division's bottom five teams, Newport started the day in a much stronger position than their opponents.

Victory would guarantee the Exiles' league status, though they did not need to win - or even draw - if other results went their way.

Barrow, meanwhile, only had the slimmest chance of staying up, relying on results elsewhere as well as needing to thrash Newport to boost their inferior goal difference.

That is why when McCann volleyed in from close range to give the Bluebirds an early lead, rather than celebrating the opening goal, their players ran to the net to collect the ball and swiftly make their back to the halfway line.

Barrow needed to win and win big, so they had no time to spare.

Luckily for Newport, Harrogate had fallen behind to Barnet moments earlier to leave the Welsh side one point above the relegation zone.

However, their reprieve was short-lived as another ex-Newport player, Bryn Morris, equalised for Harrogate to plunge his former side into the bottom two.

What was more of an immediate concern was the way Fuchs' men were being outplayed by Barrow.

They were fortunate to only be trailing 1-0 at half-time, and things looked like they were about to spiral out of control two minutes after the restart when Ciaran Brennan conceded a penalty after blocking a Ben Jackson cross with his arm.

But the Newport defender had keeper Wright to thank as he dived to the left and stuck out a leg to keep out Gordon's spot-kick.

The away side made the most of that let-off and clicked into gear as Kamwa cut in from the left and hammered a shot against the bar.

Crole then had a goalbound shot blocked by Harper before showing determination to block Barrett's clearance and composure to set up Davies for the equaliser.

That goal took Newport out of the relegation zone thanks to goals elsewhere, but only victory at Holker Street would make sure of survival.

It was a moment of massive significance, therefore, when Kamwa again shifted the ball from the left and whipped a brilliant strike into the far corner.

While there were euphoric scenes in the away end, it was dejection for Barrow and their fans as their six-year spell in League Two was brought to an end.