Newport hero Shane Howarth paid tribute to his team-mates' mental strength after a stunning last-gasp Heineken Cup victory over French champions Toulouse at Rodney Parade.

Fly-half Howarth scored and converted the winning try just three minutes from time to get Newport home 21-20 after they had trailed by nine points midway through the second period.

It was the Black and Ambers' second successive pool six success and gives them an outstanding chance of reaching the quarter finals.

Howarth's late show came after he could well have been the Newport villain following two early missed penalty chances which he would normally kick in his sleep.

"I owed it to the players with that try after missing those sitters at the start," he said.

"This victory shows our mental strength, character and spirit. We could have folded when they scored their second try. But we stuck at it - and in the end we did it.

"I am glad that it all worked out for us. We kept putting the pressure on during the closing stages, and a gap in their defence was bound to appear at some stage."

Newport led 8-7 at the interval courtesy of a Howarth penalty and Matt Mostyn try, but touchdowns either side of the break by impressive Toulouse scrum-half Jerome Fillol seemed to put the visitors in charge.

Two further Howarth penalties gave Newport a glimmer of hope, but few spectators among a 9,000 crowd could have anticipated such a grandstand finish.

"This team has real character, and it was a big effort tonight," added Newport coach Ian McIntosh.

"But there is still more to come from us."

Newport captain Simon Raiwalui refused to concede that Toulouse are out of the running, even though they have now suffered successive defeats against Newport and Leinster.

"Of their remaining four matches, three of them are at home - so in no way are they out of it," he said.

Toulouse coach Christian Cajun admitted, though, that last-eight qualification will now be a tall order.

"I don't think that Newport had a particularly good day, but they were strong mentally. It will now be very difficult for us to win the group," he said.