Moors Under-18s made it through to the First Round Proper of the FA Youth Cup with a penalty shootout victory over Emley at The Brewery Field on Wednesday night.

The youngsters produced an entertaining evening of football watched by 239 fans but neither side could find a crucial breakthrough, so the tie was decided by the lottery of spot kicks, with Charlie Twinn eventually firing home the decisive penalty to send Moors through.

There was an early opening for Moors when Charlie Upperton found space to turn just inside the penalty area, but his low shot was deflected wide of the post.

Emley took time to settle but did force a smart save from Moors keeper Harry Alderson on seven minutes when an angled drive was heading into the bottom corner.

Moors right-back Callum Rowell got forward well to feed a low ball into the front post which was turned just wide by Luke Burns, before Rowell himself let fly moments later with a low shot which flashed across goal and wide.

Emley reacted with a fierce shot of their own which just beat the far post and then Charlie Twinn came close for Moors as the game continued to spring from end to end.

Kyrell Kavanagh crashed a shot against the bar as Emley came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock nine minute before the end of an entertaining first half.

Emley had a great chance at the start of the second half too when Lloyd’s powerful shot was parried by keeper Alderson only as far as Kobe Mulvihill Simpson, but the midfielder could only fire over the bar.

Moors were then thankful to Alderson for a fine double save as the visitors settled into their rhythm, before Moors responded with a dangerous attack of their own only for Twinn to shoot too high.

The home side had a goal disallowed for offside and tested visiting goalkeeper Hennell from a couple of close-range headers as they looked to build some momentum in the closing stages.

Substitute Ashton Houlohan got clear right at the start of injury time with a chance to win it but blazed his effort over and the tie went to a penalty shootout.

Penalties
Callum Rowell scored (1-0)
Kobe Mulvehill Simpson scored (1-1)
Charlie Wood scored (2-1)
Marco Mellor scored (2-2)
Benji Urwin scored (3-2)
Kyrell Kavanagh scored (3-3)
George Wilkinson scored (4-3)
Jimmy Ditchfield missed (4-3)
Charlie Twinn scored (5-3)

Full Time: Moors 0 Emley 0 (Moors win 5-3 on penalties)

Moors: Alderson, Rowell, Carr (Houlahan 82), Laviolette, Hall (Burgin 60), Wilkinson, Upperton, Wood, Mouat, Twinn, Burns (Urwin 87).
Subs not used: Tall, Naylor, Goddard.

Emley: Hennell, Khanye, Tyas, Loucas, Lodge, Durham, Kavanagh, Mulvihill-Simpson, Morris (Mellor 77), Lloyd (Pratt 73), Ditchfield.
Subs not used: Davies, Mitchell, Larder, Delbal, Lenihan.

Booked: Pratt.

Referee: Alex Bourner

Attendance: 239