Adders still dreaming of FA Vase glory as penalty shoot-out kisses Goodby-e to Worcester's Wembley hopes

Worcester City 1 Atherstone 1 (Adders win 5-4 on penalties after extra time)

Fickle fingers of fate settled a dramatic penalty showdown as Adders proved they have the Midas touch in their march to the hallowed portals of Wembley.

Atherstone Town Community FC will wake tomorrow having made history in the FA Vase – reaching the last eight for the first time after a replay victory even Worcester City boss Ashley Vincent admitted was "fantastic" and deserving of going all the way to the final.

The hands that fumbled in Saturday's first encounter – Atherstone keeper Carl O Neil's slip allowing Worcester striker Marco Adaggio to stab home an equaliser – were replaced through suspension for two yellow cards in the competition with the assured palms of teenager Aiden Jeynes.

And it was Jeynes who saved brilliantly from Worcester's Luke Rowe when the penalties reached the sudden death stage – allowing Adam Goodby to score to take Adders through 5-4 and a juicy home quarter-final clash with Norther League Division One side Consett AFC.

Cue for wild and delirious scenes of joy from the travelling Adders fans – forgotten the acrimony and protests that went with off-the-field incidents and led to a dignified apology from Adders chairman Brian Henney as well as segregated fans in the Wednesday return.

Make no mistake Atherstone Town had their back to the wall and lot to prove as they ran out on to the Victoria Ground in Bromsgrove tonight – and the Sheepy Road boys answered the call to a man.

Chairman Henney had already told Scott Rickards and his players that they had already "exceeded expectations" in the competition and on the night they went one better.

Both teams were dealt big blows before the replay kick-off. In addition to O'Neil's suspension for Atherstone, the home side were deprived of their Saturday goalscorer Adaggio just before the game got underway as well as red-carded Kurtis Mewies – out injured.

Scott Rickards went with only seven of Adders' weekend starting line with no place for the game's opening marksmen Josh Ruff. He made way for Saturday substitute Ben Ashby.

It began badly for the Adders with Sam Fitzgerald picking up a yellow card inside two minutes with Worcester created half chances early on.

But on 21 minutes Adders took the lead. Saturday's man-of-the-match Sam Belcher was at it again, with a screamer from more than 20 yards after Craig Jones cleared. Goal-of-the-month time.

Two minutes Belcher nearly doubled the lead but fired wide and it was the same result from a volley on the half hour.

Sean Brain missed a sitter for the home side on 40 minutes but three minutes on it was 1-1 and this time a superb volley from Luke English as Atherstone had to weather a mighty storm before going in level at half time.

Penalty king Goodby replaced the carded Fitzgerald at the interval as Atherstone stepped up the pace with Dan Jezeph saving from the irrepressible Belcher. Just on the hour It was let-off time for the visitors as Liam Lockett smashed one against the post.

The teams moved nervously into extra time with claim and counter claim for penalties before the real ones got underway.

The first six went to plan before Sam Hall missed the 'crucial' seventh. Joe Obi made it 4-3 and although keeper Jezeph scorer for 4-4, Natahn Haines had the tie at his feet.

He missed and the agony was etched on the faces of Adders' players and fans. But up stepped Luke Rowe to be thwarted by the guile of Town youngster Jeynes before Adam Goodby planted home the winning penalty.

February 29 can't come quick enough . . . just two ties away from Wembley now.

Atherstone: Jeynes, Cotton, Fitzgerald, Haines, McNulty, S Goodby, Martin, Baxter, Obi, Belcher, Ashby.