FA Cup: Hastings 1 Harrogate 1 (5-4 pens)

14 December 2012 00:04

Hastings United have advanced to the third round of the FA Cup after beating Harrogate Town 5-4 on penalties at the Pilot Field.

In an enthralling encounter between the two non-league sides, Sean Ray's men sent the home crowd into raptures after going ahead through a Lee Carey penalty in the 47th minute after Zac Atwood was brought down by Matt Bloomer.

Hastings held out for the most part of the second half and looked set to advance into the next round before Tom Platt made the most of an error from goalkeeper Matt Armstrong-Ford to level the scores in the 90th minute following a dangerous Dave Merris cross.

With neither side able to break the deadlock in extra-time the match went to penalties where both sides missed one penalty apiece in the first five to send the shootout to sudden death.

Harrogate's Lee Elam missed his spot-kick to hand Hastings, who are one league below their opponents on the English football pyramid, the chance to face Middlesbrough at the Riverside in the third round.

Dee Okojie stepped up and hammered the ball into the top left corner to seal the victory, sparking jubilant scenes inside the Pilot Field as fans rejoiced in Hastings' biggest win in its 119-year history.