SHREWSBURY 0 COUNTY 0

THEY came to witness the taming of the Shrews and, as an added bonus, the 704 Newport County AFC fans at Greenhous Meadow also got to see the birth of a new star in 16-year-old Regan Poole.

Just like at Tranmere last Tuesday, goalkeeper Joe Day was again the hero on Saturday.

The loan star pulled off some breathtaking stops to earn his side a second 0-0 draw of the week away to a relegated side.

Even after Andrew Hughes was shown a straight red card for a studs-up challenge on James Wesolowski on 85 minutes the hosts could not find a way past an inspired Day.

His third shutout in three away games since arriving from Peterborough last month extended County’s unbeaten run to six games in League Two and put an end to Shrewsbury’s 100 per cent home record.

But it was hard not to get carried away by the incredibly mature performance from supremely talented teenager Poole.

He may have already been on ‘work experience’ at Manchester United with other big clubs sniffing around but it was still a gamble for Justin Edinburgh to throw the youngster in from the start for one of the toughest away days in the division.

Some managers might have worried that it was just too big a challenge for kid who would usually rely on his mother for clean sheets.

But Edinburgh has shown with Hughes, Lee Evans and Alex Gilbey that he trusts his young players and it looks like paying off for him again.

To put it in perspective, and make the rest of us feel very old indeed, Poole was born during the 1998 World Cup in France.

He came into this world as Zinedine Zidane was being sent off in France’s 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia and was merely a babe in arms as David Beckham got his marching orders against Argentina.

Born in Cardiff, after leaving the Bluebirds academy Poole joined the County academy and signed as a scholar in June this year.

Inevitably if he continues to catch the eye of scouts up and down the country he won’t be hanging around at Rodney Parade for too long so Edinburgh seems to have decided to make the most of the youngster while he can.

And, after one or two nervy moments early on, Poole grew in confidence, showing a neat touch and a calm and composed manner that belied his tender years.

He was helped out by Darren Jones and Hughes who, before his sending off, had another excellent game.

But they still had to rely on Day to take a point back across the border.

County had started brightly with Robbie Willmott’s long range drive tipped over by Jayson Leutwiler after only three minutes.

And Lee Minshull, who had the best chances for the Exiles, headed against the post early on only for the ref to award the hosts a free-kick.

But Micky Mellon’s men will feel they should have won this game and made it six from six at home after dropping down from League One last season.

Former Wrexham striker Andy Mangan did beat Day with a delicate chip but his effort was just wide.

Louis Akpa-Akpro’s close range header was kept out by a combination of Day and the post and Ryan Woods fizzed a drive inches wide just before the break.

County resorted to the long ball too often after the break and Chris Zebroski and Joe Pigott struggled to make much of an impact up front.

Edinburgh brought Christian Jolley, Ryan Jackson and Aaron O’Connor off the bench in an attempt to turn the tide but the chances came at the other end.

Jermaine Grandison, Woods and Wesolowski all went close and, while Minshull headed over for County, it was the hosts who cranked up the pressure.

And when Hughes was rightly dismissed the home crowd sensed blood. But Day had other ideas.

He somehow clawed the ball to safety when sub Ashley Vincent was convinced he’d bundled it over the line and then saved brilliantly from a Grandison header at the death.

All’s well that ends well!

Shrewsbury: Leutwiler, Grandison, Ellis, Goldson, Knight-Percival; Clark (Vincent 64), Woods, Wesolowski, Mangan; Vernon (Collins, 64), Akpa-Akpro (Griffith, 46)

Subs not used: Halstead, Demetriou, Lawrence, Gayle

Booked: Vernon, Wesolowski

County: Day, Willmott, Poole (Jackson, 68), Jones, Hughes, Sandell; Minshull, Byrne, Chapman; Zebroski (O’Connor, 81), Pigott (Jolley, 65)

Subs not used: Pidgeley, Flynn, Klukowski, Collins

Booked: Sandell, Jackson

Sent off: Hughes

Referee: Darren Handley

Attendance: 4,904 (704 County)