NEWPORT County AFC manager Michael Flynn hailed an “absolutely outstanding” performance from his side as they beat claimed another huge FA Cup scalp by beating Championship Middlesbrough at a raucous Rodney Parade.
Second-half goals from Robbie Willmott and Padraig Amond earned County a 2-0 win and a massive fifth-round home clash with Premier League champions Manchester City.
"It's nothing more than we deserved, tonight we were absolutely outstanding,” said Flynn.
“We should have had a penalty and should have scored more than twice too.
"At half-time I told them, 'you are going to get another opportunity'. We had created too much not to get another one. We stuck to our game-plan. Boro changed their shape a few times, which shows how well we did.
“I’m the proudest man in Newport tonight.
"They can match Championship players. I don't know what it is with them. We can play like that but not every week in League Two.
"Robbie Willmott was outstanding,” added the Exiles boss.
“He’s an old-fashioned winger, he is very versatile, he's an outstanding talent and he should have played higher in his career.”
Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis admitted that his hometown team deserved the win and a place in the fifth round for the first time since 1949.
"They were the better team, they ran all over us,” said the Boro boss.
“It was men against boys. Forget the conditions, you have to match people and that's the real disappointment.
"Give them credit, they were fantastic tonight and they deserve their win. The tempo of the game was really poor from us. I am desperately disappointed at the lack of real commitment. We were outfought and outplayed.
"We've been fantastic away from home this year. They have regularly turned up and put in performances but it's different circumstances tonight and we never coped with it."
Flynn also confirmed that goalkeeper Joe Day’s wife Lizzie is close to giving birth to twins tonight.
Day played the full 90 minutes and raced off the pitch at the end to be with his wife.
“He’s a professional and he turned his phone off,” said Flynn. “At the end he ran off and asked if he could go.
“I said ‘of course you can, do you need a lift?’ – I’ve never seen him run so fast!”
Read more: Match report from a remarkable night at Rodney Parade
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