NEWPORT County AFC suffered heartache in the FAW Youth Cup semi final after they lost to Cardiff City on penalties.

The two sides drew 1-1 in normal time and couldn’t add to the scoring in a cagey extra period that saw Exiles sub Spencer Wood sent off.

This contest was always likely to be overshadowed by the death on Friday of teenager Corey Price, killed in the A470 crash that took four lives.

Price was a former member of the Cardiff academy and was set to link-up with the Exiles for a trial with the idea being that he could join Newport next term.

It was sure to be an emotional day for teams, his former Cardiff teammates and the young Exiles all keenly feeling his loss, especially as Corey Sheppard and Cedric Matando are among his former Cardiff colleagues. Exiles skipper Regan Poole was also close with Price for their schoolboy days with the Welsh national side.

The contest was preceded by a minute’s silence for Price and the others who lost their lives, impeccably observed by those in attendance at Jenner Park.

Both clubs requested that this contest go ahead as a tribute to Price whose father Lee is a former Barry Town stalwart and it was played in friendly circumstances despite the importance of the match and the rivalry between the two sides, another ex-Barry star, Mike Flynn, bellowing the instructions from the touchline alongside Byron Anthony.

The Exiles haven’t reached an FAW Youth Cup final since they won the competition in 2005 and there was a clear sign of support from the first team with goalkeeper coach Ryan Mackerness, kit man Andrew Hart, secretary Lewis Richards and director Chris Blight all in attendance.

It was Championship outfit Cardiff who should have led inside the first minute, striker Eli Phipps brilliantly controlling and beating the offside trap as he showed true composure, rounding goalkeeper Jake Keating only to be denied by a fabulous block from defender Regan Poole.

County’s skipper could be forgiven for feeling youth football is his past and not his present, but the Man United and Fulham target showed all his composure in a classy display where he looked head and shoulders above most of his peers.

It was a let-off for the Exiles but it wasn’t long until they let the Bluebirds off the hook, Tom Owen Evans’ sensational slide-rule pass dissecting the City defence as Aaron Collins burst clear on goal.

Unfortunately for the Exiles, he overrun the ball and allowed the goalkeeper to smother.

However, while the better approach play was coming from Cardiff, it was the young Exiles looking the more likely to score and just before the interval they did just that, Ben Brooks tripped in the box by Rollin Menayese, a Newport-born defender, with Collins making no mistake from the spot.

That put County just 45 minutes from a cup final, but their more decorated opponents levelled within ten minutes of the restart, Jake Watkins curling home impressively with a goal from nothing on 53 minutes.

It was suddenly the Championship side showing their pedigree with the Exiles on the back foot, a late lunge by Kieran Parselle extremely lucky not to result in a penalty as the Bluebirds pushed forward with greater urgency.

The Exiles were using the pace of Nyall Gray and Collins to look to spring on the counter, Gray’s moment arriving on 81 minutes, but clean through he fired straight at Joe Massaro. Poole also had a chance to win it, but his late header drifted inches wide.

That sent us into extra time with temperatures plummeting and both Collins and Jamie Bird missed a chance apiece in a cagey first period where Owen-Evans also tested Massaro.

However, the Bluebirds almost broke the deadlock in the second period of extra time, Bird’s blast brilliantly tipped onto the crossbar and out by Jake Keating.

It became tougher still for the Exiles when sub Spencer Wood was given a second yellow card, sent off for simulation with the Exiles pushing for a winner, a decision that seemed extremely harsh.

That led to ten minutes of Cardiff laying siege to the Newport goal, but they held firm as the contest went to penalty kicks, the Exiles even having chances to win it on the counter.

That sent us to penalties and it was the Bluebirds who held their nerve, taking advantage of Brooks’ miss and scoring all five of their spot-kicks to sneak into the final.

Cardiff City: Joe Massaro, Ash Baker, Rhys Abbruzzese, Dylan Rees (Will Taylor 69), Rollin Menayese, Sam Williams, Elvis Menayese, Lloyd Humphries (Jarrad Welch 84), Eli Phipps (Jamie Bird 46), Jamie Veale, Jake Watkins

Subs not used: Cameron Cox, Luke Wakeman

Booked: Rees

Newport County: Jake Keating, Aiden O’ Kelly, Kieran Parselle, Tom Owen Evans, Regan Poole, Sam James (Alex Zanotti 76), Lewis Bamford (Spencer Wood, 72), Corey Sheppard (Andrew Evans 103), Nyall Gray, Aaron Collins, Ben Brooks

Subs not used: Kyron Tolland, Cedric Matando

Booked: Owen-Evans, Wood, O’Kelly, Poole

Sent off: Wood

Referee: T Cook

Argus star man: Tom Owen Evans