Tranmere Rovers advanced through to the second round of the Carabao Cup in dramatic circumstances on Tuesday evening after an eventual 12-11 win on penalties.
First half goals from Adedoyin and Astley were cancelled out by goals from Josh Hawkes and a 90th minute own goal at The Wham Stadium.
The home side created the first chance of note in the seventh minute through Joe Pritchard. He created space on the edge of the box and fired a deflected effort just over the bar.
Rovers came close to forcing Stanley into a comical own goal. Hemmings flicked on to Lewis who put Astley under pressure before his clearance landed on the roof of his own net.
On the 37th minute, the home side opened the scoring. Adedoyin drove at the Rovers defence, shifted the ball onto his left foot and arrowed a shot into the far corner giving Hewelt no chance.
Moments later, Stanley doubled their lead. Ryan Astley, on loan from Everton, was first to the ball on the edge of the box, swivelled on the spot and smartly finished in off the post as Hewelt was rooted with a sea of shirts in front of him.
Just before the half time whistle, Hawkes had Tranmere’s best chance of the half. He showed great strength on the left to shrug off his marker before seeing his low front post drive saved by the feet of Jensen.
Not long after the hour mark, Hawkes did get one back for Rovers. A sweeping counter attack started off by a great pass by McAlear as Hawkes cut inside and curled a shot into the far corner from the edge of the box. Credit must also be given to Bristow whose lung busting overlap took away the defender.
Accrington slowed the game down from then on and it looked to have been them with their name in the hat for the second round until a last gasp equaliser sending the SWA into raptures.
Josh Hawkes cut inside from the left, delivered an inviting cross onto the head of Joel Mumbongo who forced Ryan Astley to thunder into the back of his own net with the last kick off the game sending the tie to penalties.
Where to start with the penalty shootout?
Captain Kane Hemmings took responsibility to step up first and he buried it past Jensen. His counterpart McConville did the same to even the scores.
Hawkes and Whalley did the honours and cooly converted their penalties into the bottom corner.
Rhys Hughes stepped up for Rovers and despite his shot heading right towards the bottom corner, the outstretched hand of Jensen denied him.
Pritchard stepped up next but Hewelt stood strong to keep the ball out to his right and keep Rovers on level terms.
After that, penalties from Lewis, Robinson, McAlear, Byrne, Dacres-Cogley, Bristow, Mumbongo and even Hewelt were all expertly converted with neither side missing during that sequence.
Back to the beginning it was…
Hemmings hammered his penalty down the middle and McConville converted his too.
Hawkes stepped up for his second penalty and again sent the keeper the wrong way.
Whalley had to score to keep Accrington in it but there was Hewelt with a fantastic save to finally put an end to the shootout and send Rovers through to the second round of the Carabao Cup!
Tranmere team: Hewelt, Dacres-Cogley, Byrne, Turnbull (McAlear 45’), Robinson, Bristow, O’Connor (Hughes 80’), Merrie (Mumbongo 71’), Lewis, Hawkes, Hemmings