Kidsgrove are set to play Stoke City in the third round of the Staffordshire FA Senior Cup, following a penalty shoot-out win away at Tamworth.

The visitors took the lead with ten minutes of the first half remaining via an Anthony Malbon deflected effort. But, with the last kick of the game, Tamworth's Anthony Robinson headed past Kieran Harrison to send the tie to penalties.

Both sides were reduced to 10 men just before the end of the game as Kingsley Adu-Gymafi and Lewis Kelly were both shown straight red cards.

However, thanks to converted spot kicks from Lee Williamson, Rhys Thompson and Richard Duffy, as well as, three fantastic saves by Harrison from penalties by Ryan Tait, Tyrell Waite and Rhys Hoenes, Kidsgrove were able to secure a place in the third round of the Staffordshire FA Senior Cup.

The Grove had a massive opportunity to break the deadlock with less than a minute on the clock, when a cross from the right by Tom France found Malbon unmarked at the back post. However, his powerful header crashed off the crossbar and away to safety.

After an early scare for the Lambs, they nearly took the lead themselves on 10 minutes, when a free kick from 20 yards was curled just over the crossbar by Hoenes.

Two minutes later Harrison was forced into action for the first time when a long range drive by Jordan Clement was parried out for a throw-in by the Kidsgrove keeper.

The hosts continued to pile pressure on the Grove when on 15 minutes, Henri Wilder found Luke Little free at the back post but he can’t sweep his effort towards Harrison’s goal.

Despite Tamworth having most of the chances, Rhys Thompson had a great chance to open the scoring. He played a neat one-two with Malbon before seeing his low strike blocked by the legs of Tamworth goalkeeper Corey Samuels.

However, the Grove did take the lead on 35 minutes when a Malbon shot from the right hand side deflected off the head of Tamworth defender Sam Walton which inadvertently sent Samuels the wrong way to allow the ball to nestle into the net.

Despite going behind Tamworth continued to pile on the pressure with Hoenes forcing Harrison into a fine save from point blank range. While Clement had two great chances, one of which rattled the post from 30 yards out.

With 15 minutes left on the clock, Tamworth had a claim for a penalty, when a Clements strike from outside the box was blocked by Butler with the hosts claiming a hand was involved to block the effort but the referee waves away all claims.

Both sides were reduced to 10 men on 84 minutes as Adu-Gyamfi and Kelly were both involved in a confrontation leaving the referee no choice but to send the two players off.

The Grove should have wrapped the game up as the affair was entering stoppage time, when substitute Duffy fed Dylan Bath on the left hand side, however, his low strike was blocked by the legs of Samuel. The rebound was tucked away by Kyle Blake only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.

That decision was proven to be costly as Tamworth equalised in the final minute of the game when a cross from the left was headed past Harrison by Robinson to ensure the game went to penalties.

When the spot kicks began Harrison kept out the first one when he got down to his left to keep out Tait’s effort.

Williamson was the first Grove player to step up and he just managed to place the ball past Samuel who got a strong hand to the ball.

Clement then sent Harrison the wrong way to level the score but Thompson put the Grove back in front following a fantastic penalty in which he curled into the top right hand corner.

Harrison kept out the Lambs third penalty after he parried away substitute Waite’s spot kick before Duffy sent Samuels the wrong way to put Kidsgrove two in front.

Hoenes had to score to keep Tamworth in the shoot-out but was unable too, as his dink didn’t fool Harrison as he comfortably punched the ball to safety which sealed a third round tie for the Grove against Stoke City at the Autonet Insurance stadium.

Kidsgrove Athletic: Harrison, Thompson, Morris, Hall, Jepson, Butler, France(Duffy, 87) Blake, Adu-Gyamfi, Malbon(Williamson, 81), Bath

Unused Subs: Austin
Tamworth: Samuels, Little, Wilder (Kelly, 46), Sibanda (Robinson 77), Frances, Walton, Reid, Tait, Pegg (Waite, 55), Clement, Hoenes

Unused Substitutes: Smith and Dryden.

Attendance: 144