WORCESTER City needed penalties to overcome lower-division Rugby Town and advance in the FA Trophy.
A brace from Dan Sweeney put City in command early on only for Rugby to score an injury-time equaliser and take the game to penalties at Sixways Stadium.
However, Worcester goalkeeper Harley Price saved two penalties in the shootout, while Olly West blazed Valley’s other spot kick over the crossbar, as City won 3-0 on penalties to advance to the next round.
Worcester play one level above Rugby who ply their trade in the Northern Premier League Midlands division.
City broke the deadlock on 18 minutes when Sweeney finished from point-blank range after Rugby failed to deal with a corner from the right.
Sweeney doubled Worcester’s lead two minutes later as the striker controlled Kobe Chong’s low ball in from the left and produced an acrobatic overhead kick into the bottom right corner from 10-yards out.
Rugby halved the deficit five minutes before half time as Caine Elliott headed in on the rebound after Price saved Cairo Taylor’s initial effort.
And Valley equalised four minutes into injury time as substitute West headed in Bleu McNeil’s cross from Elliott’s short corner.
In the shootout, Zac Guinan, Teddy Rowe and Felix Miles all converted from the spot while Price denied Elliott and Callum Griffin either side of West’s wayward attempt.
Worcester are next in action against Stratford Town on Tuesday, October 14 with kick-off at 7.45pm at the Arden Garages Stadium.
