NEWPORT County AFC under-18s suffered last-minute heartache as they went down 5-4 after extra-time in an incredible FA Youth Cup tie at Rodney Parade.

MK Dons’ striker Kabongo Tshimanga fired the winner after 119 minutes of a thoroughly entertaining second round contest just as the teams were preparing for penalties.

The Exiles youngsters, led by development coach Mike Flynn and Danny Elliott, had staged a stunning comeback from 4-1 down on the hour to level at 4-4 in the 91st minute and force extra-time.

But on a night of outstanding goals it was the Milton Keynes boys who eventually booked an enticing trip to Nottingham Forest in the third round.

County looked fired up from the start on a cold night in front of 430 fans and they took a deserved lead after only eight minutes.

Tom Owen-Evans, one of three players in the starting XI who have featured in the first team squad this season, cut inside from the left and saw his shot deflected behind.

Aaron Collins, who played in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in September, swung in a corner from the left and found Corey Shephard.

And the son of former County striker Gary Shephard did brilliantly to fire the ball home through a host of bodies in the box.

The visitors didn’t take long to respond, however, and they soon showed their undoubted quality.

They were level on 12 minutes through Giorgio Rasulo when his close range shot was deflected beyond Luke Harries – a late replacement for Jake Keating in the County goal.

Rasulo scored his second of the match with a superbly crafted volley on 20 minutes.

The 17-year-old received the ball 20 yards from goal, flicked it up with his left foot and beat Harries with a right foot rocket.

And it was 3-1 just before the half-hour as Laurence Vaughan decided to get in on the act, curling a beauty into the top corner from the edge of the area that gave Harries no chance.

The young Exiles defence, led by captain and recent Wales under-17s cap Regan Poole, struggled to cope with the pace and movement of their opponents at times in the first half.

And the MK Dons youngsters also looked more physically imposing but County pushed them hard and created plenty of chances.

Collins, Shephard, Nyall Gray and Kieran Parselle all impressed and with a little bit of luck the hosts could have had three goals of their own before the break.

The League One academy boys seemed to have put the victory beyond doubt on the hour when Kevin Owuso curled another cracking effort past Harries and into the bottom corner.

But County had other ideas and they showed amazing spirit to force extra-time with a stunning comeback.

First Gray curled another fabulous shot into the top corner of McCorkell’s net on 67 minutes.

Next star man Collins caught out the visitors’ ‘keeper with a free-kick from all of 40 yards wide on the left touchline.

It sailed over McCorkell and under his bar 14 minutes from time to make it 4-3 and leave the Dons defence looking rattled.

And the comeback was complete in spectacular style in the second minute of time added on for injuries as substitute Ben Brooks scored a screamer from 35 yards.

It was nothing less than Flynn’s fledglings deserved for a stirring second half display.

Brooks was denied a second by a fabulous McCorkell save at the start of 30 nervy minutes of extra-time and a nailbiting shootout looked a certainty.

It wasn’t to be but Flynn and all the academy coaches can be proud of their team’s superb showing on a night to remember.

County: Harries, Mpadi (Ward, 51), Parselle, Wood (Mathias, 46) Poole, James, Bamford, Owen-Evans, Gray, Collins, Shephard (Brooks, 59)

Subs not used: Bull, Raymond

Booked: Shephard, Bamford, James

MK Dons: McCorkell, Daffern, Okito, Hadden (Steele, 88), Tingey, Hunt, Owusu (Brittain, 83), Wiltshire (Palmiero, 100), Tshimanga, Rasulo, Vaughan

Subs not used: Wyant, Furlong

Booked: Hadden, Wiltshire

Referee: Lee Sheridan

Attendance: 430

Argus star man: Aaron Collins