LEWIS Payne was the unlikely hero as Newport County AFC eased to a convincing 4-1 win at National League promotion hopefuls Barnet to secure a home tie with Eastleigh in the FA Cup third round.

After conceding an 89th-minute equaliser at Rodney Parade in the original tie, County looked determined to set the record straight from the off in this second-round replay at The Hive.

Top scorer Will Evans failed a late fitness test so couldn’t take up his place on the bench, but he wasn’t missed as the Exiles raced into a 3-0 lead after just 25 minutes.

Southampton loanee Payne, who had a short spell at Eastleigh earlier this year, opened the scoring in the sixth minute and then teed up Omar Bogle to double the lead seven minutes later.

Barnet defender Danny Collinge, the man who scored that late leveller to force the replay then headed into his own net to put Graham Coughlan’s men in full control.

Seb Palmer-Houlden almost took advantage of a defensive mix-up in the first minute, before Payne scored his first goal in senior football five minutes later.

A quick counter-attack found Bogle in space on the left and his cross was fired into the roof of the net by the 19-year-old at the far post.

Payne returned the favour on 13 minutes after another quick break when his cross from the right was tapped in by Bogle following a possible flick-on from Palmer-Houlden.

The Bees looked a little dazed and confused, though Idris Kanu did fire a warning shot with a curling effort just wide from 25 yards.

But County didn’t sit back – heeding the words of Coughlan after Saturday’s 2-1 defeat from a goal up at Tranmere Rovers.

Bryn Morris’ dipping free-kick was tipped onto the bar by goalkeeper Laurie Walker, and it was 3-0 soon afterwards thanks to a route-one comical own goal.

Exiles keeper Nick Townsend was out quickly to grab the ball off the feet of Nicke Kabamba and his long boot upfield was headed over Walker and into the empty net by Collinge.

Game over? Not quite – Barnet gave themselves some hope via the skullduggery of captain Harry Pritchard as he bundled the ball in from close range after a long throw into the box eight minutes before the break.

It looked like a perfectly legal header, but replays on the live ITV 4 broadcast showed the skipper had punched the ball in.

That gave the hosts a big helping hand and they were almost right back in it in first-half stoppage time when Kanu, who was earlier lucky to escape a red card for a petulant stamp on Shane McLoughlin, cut in from the left and forced Townsend into a fingertip save.

Two minutes after the break, Kanu’s shot hit Kabamba’s back and looped just wide with Townsend a mere spectator.

County still posed a threat at the other end and Palmer-Houlden’s chipped effort was tipped onto the outside of the post by Walker.

The goalkeeper also had to be alert to keep out another fiercely-struck free-kick from Morris.

But Barnet continued to make most of the running and Kanu rattled the bar with another terrific hit from distance midway through the second half.

The hosts defended with a high line all night and, with more and more men committed forward, they were again susceptible to the counter-attack in the closing stages.

James Clarke wasted one opportunity to kill the tie when he headed wide at the far post, but Palmer-Houlden made no mistake when his chance came 14 minutes from time.

As a Barnet attack broke down, Scot Bennett hooked a long ball over the top and Palmer-Houlden showed good composure to pass the ball into the net and banish any fears of another late fightback.

County (3-4-1-2): N Townsend; M Baker, J Clarke, R Delaney; L Payne, B Morris, S Bennett, S McLoughlin; A Wildig (H Charsley, 78); O Bogle (K Rai, 90), S Palmer-Houlden.

Substitutes not used: J Maxted, J Waite, N Wood, M Bondswell, A Young, N Sanca.

Booked: L Payne, H Charsley, S McLoughlin.

Referee: C Hicks.

Attendance: 1,451 (162 County).