Relieved Stevenage boss Steve Evans praised his aspect’s character after beating Port Vale on penalties to progress into the third spherical of the FA Cup.
Battling Boro overcame 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to arrange a visit to minnows Maidstone.
Ben Garrity’s brace put Vale two targets to the great earlier than late efforts from Harvey White and Kane Hemmings, within the sixth minute of stoppage time, despatched the sport to additional time.
Ryan Loft scored a primary Vale purpose within the a hundred and fifteenth minute however Nathan Thompson pressured penalties and Stevenage stopper Taye Ashby-Hammond was the shootout hero as he saved spot-kicks from scorers Garrity and Loft.
Evans mirrored: “We don’t do issues the straightforward means.
“First issues first, in case you’ve come to the stadium as a impartial then this can be a unbelievable cup tie. You should be on the sting of your seat at each ends.
“Once we get into the sport and Harvey will get a purpose I believe we’re completely, completely dominant.
“When it goes 2-2 we all know additional time’s coming however we predict there’s just one winner as a result of we had plenty of possibilities.
“To have the character the group has acquired to come back again and rating once more to take the sport to penalties is unbelievable.
“For the primary 60 minutes we didn’t seem like we needed to be within the FA Cup, however for the final half-hour plus additional time we did.”
Vale boss Andy Crosby insisted his aspect solely had themselves guilty after they crashed out.
After seeing his aspect crumble from 2-0 and 3-2 up, Crosby admitted: “We’ve thrown the sport away twice. To concede a last-minute equaliser in regular time after which precisely the identical factor occurs in additional time, that makes it very powerful to take.
“To go 2-0 up in opposition to a staff who’re third or fourth in our league was pleasing, however then we misplaced management of the sport a bit they usually can try this to you.
“The sport wasn’t over at full-time, there have been half-hour left. We return in entrance once more and have a look at the clock and assume ‘we have to see this out now’. We’ve acquired to defend our field higher than we did.
“The blokes have given the whole lot however we will’t really feel sorry for ourselves. We’ve solely acquired ourselves guilty.
“It takes bravery to take a penalty in any scenario in a shootout. These guys have stood up, penalties get missed. It’s what it’s.
“Life is hard at instances, you’re taking the hits and it’s important to rise up once more and transfer ahead.”
