Tony Carr was a relieved man after watching his West Ham United Under-18s finally secure their place in the FA Youth Cup fourth with an extra-time win at Plymouth Argyle
The young Hammers were the better side for much of the match on Wednesday night but found their hosts in resolute mood. It was not until the 104 minute that Danny Purdy scored the only goal of the game via the post to break the deadlock.
"It was a tough match - they made it really hard for us," Carr said. "I thought they played for penalties and made it very difficult. I didn't expect anything else, I just thought they might have been a little more adventurous at times. They didn't come out, they just sat there and asked us to try and break them down.
"The keeper made some very good saves and we could have won it by two or three if we'd taken our chances. But it wasn't to be and we did it the hard way through extra time and then the sub pops up to score a goal.
"He's a good striker of the ball, Danny Purdy, and it was an excellent goal to win the game and I'm pleased we are in the next round."
Although the hosts' tactics did not lead to the most attractive of games, the eventual victory in the war of attrition will have given West Ham's youngsters some valuable experience.
"We had loads of possession but at times I felt that that ball that would open them up or find a West Ham player in the final third just failed to reach its target. When you don't score you get frustrated, but we kept plugging away.
"We changed the system a bit to try and open the game up a little more bit more, which I think helped us push them back and with them being unadventurous we had to score to bring them out. We did that but very late in the game which meant they had to chase the game and in the end it was just about seeing out the game for the last 15 minutes."
The win books West Ham's place in the fourth round and Carr believed it would have given his youngsters a mental boost to taken into the rest of the season.
While having to handle a tough game on the pitch, there was also plenty to contend with off it as well, with the match in doubt before kick-off when one of Home Park's floodlights stopped working on Wednesday afternoon.
"Psychologically it was important for the lads to get through the tie and it's been a good experience. There was the question of whether the match was on, then the overnight stay.
"There was the long journey and then we arrive and there's floodlight failure so we had to play with three floodlights and not four, so there's all sorts of things going on before the game has even started. Then Danny popped up with the goal and we're in the next round."
With a several hundred people present at Home Park, Carr is now hoping the draw for round four will favour his side by handing them a home tie at the Boleyn Ground.
"I'd take anybody in the next round really. I think you'd like to be at home this time as it would be nice for some of these boys to play at Upton Park as they've never played there before."