Report: Basingstoke 4-4 Saints [5-4 pens]

The 90 minutes were equally as action packed as its conclusion, with four goals in either half, two for each side. The hosts began the brighter, finding themselves two ahead inside four minutes, with winger Sam Smart scoring the first and assisting the second.

A Will Smallbone brace then drew the visitors level, as he lashed home from Will Ferry's smart pullback in the 17th minute, before expertly despatching a penalty kick just before the break, which was won inadvertently by creator Ferry.

Basingstoke's Adam Everiss was sent off in the preamble, for handling the winger's initial shot, as the home side were forced to negotiate the second 45 minutes with ten men.

Buoyed by their recovery, Saints then took the lead for the first time in the tie, as Ferry himself capitalised on a defensive mix up, rolling past a helpless Tom McGill to make it 3-2 in the 51st minute.

But again, Radhi Jaïdi's side were pegged back 20 minutes later, as Dean Stow's shot from range ricocheted awkwardly off Christoph Klarer, and flew beyond Alex Cull.

Tyreke Johnson might have thought he'd won it for Saints 13 minutes from time, only for midfielder Dan Bayliss to score the game's eighth goal, and level proceedings for the fourth time.

Penalties ensued, where Saints took a 3-1 lead, but a defiant Basingstoke Town rallied, and ultimately weren't for beating, as the hosts triumphed 5-4 overall, with winger Yvan Jourdan, who scored their second in normal time, converting the winning spot-kick.