NEWPORT County AFC manager Warren Feeney paid tribute to the hard work of his players and his predecessor John Sheridan as League Two safety was finally secured at Luton Town.

Souleymane Coulibaly’s late leveller earned the Exiles a deserved point at Kenilworth Road after Jack Marriott thought he’d won it for the hosts on 81 minutes.

York City were beaten at Accrington Stanley and join Dagenham & Redbridge in being relegated to the Conference.

But Feeney was glad that his team did what they needed to do to ensure they remain in the Football League.

“I’m relieved that it’s done and dusted,” said the Exiles boss.

“You don’t want to rely on other people and stay up by losing football matches.

“When I first came in it was stay up at all costs,” he added.

“John [Sheridan] has to take a lot of the credit. He put the ground in there for me and I just tried to carry on what he left.

“Full credit to the players as well because people don’t realise how hard it is down the bottom of the league.

“They’ve responded and it’s job done for us.

“It was a big job but it’s one you’re excited to do. It was hard to get out of but I had every belief in what John did and what I did and in the players as well.”

And Feeney felt his side deserved a point after dominating most of the first 45 minutes.

“Luton are a good side but we had a bit of a game plan to frustrate them,” he said.

“And I thought over the 90 minutes we deserved a point.

“First half we were better, second half they came at us a bit but we still had chances.

“I thought our energy was very good and from last Saturday [the 2-1 defeat at Stevenage] it’s been a good week.

“I was cheered up when my beloved Rangers winning on Sunday.

“Then we had a good result on Tuesday and this tops the week off for me.”

Feeney says he will now give youth a chance in the remaining two games – at home to Notts County next Saturday and away to AFC Wimbledon seven days later.

“I want to get a few of the young lads in the side now and give those who are going to be here next season a head start. I think that’s important,” he said.

“I would have liked to have bled them in sooner but the position we were in I couldn’t.

“It was about keeping this team in the League and now we’ve done that I’ll hopefully get minutes into a few.

“We’ll enjoy this week and have a game of golf together because it has been tough and then we’ll start the hard work.”