NEWPORT County AFC academy coach Byron Anthony admits the Exiles youngsters made life difficult for themselves before progressing in the FA Youth Cup.

Liam Angel, Lewis Bamford and Corey Shephard, who have all been in the first team squad this season, started as County edged past Sholing FC in a penalty shootout.

The match at the Silverlake Arena near Southampton ended 0-0 after extra-time but the visitors sealed their place in the second round with a 4-2 win on penalties.

County will now face Southend United at home in the second round.

Anthony was pleased to get through and praised the Exiles’ hard work but he admitted that the performance was not up to scratch.

“We did it the hard way but credit to the players they worked hard and got the reward in the end,” he said.

“It is nice to be in the next round. We weren’t happy with the performance by a long stretch, but the FA Cup is the FA Cup, whether it is the youth team or the senior team.

“Sholing put on a good performance,” he added. “They sat in there, they dug deep and they were hard to break down.

“But when we did get in good areas we were wasteful in possession.

“We are disappointed in the way we played, but we stuck in there and the mentality and the attitude of the boys was fantastic.”

With first team manager John Sheridan currently looking to bring in a back-up goalkeeper after Rhys Taylor’s loan move to Wrexham, Anthony was full of praise for 15-year-old keeper Rhys Davies.

“Our goalkeeper is a young lad coming through and he put on a great performance,” he said.

“He has made a great save from a free-kick and gone on to save a penalty.”

Right-back Nathan Mathias had County’s best chance in normal time with a long range effort that was just over the bar inside the first ten minutes.

Davies did superbly to keep out a free-kick midway through the second half and deny the hosts the breakthrough in a tight and tense encounter.

In extra-time Exiles front pair Cedrick Matondo and Connah Hughes combined well but Hughes’ shot was blocked.

County starting XI: R.Davies, N.Mathias, F.Wood, J.Young, L.Angel (c), C.Smith, L.Bamford, C.Shepard, C.Hughes, R.Kavangh, C.Matindo