Ampthill see off Oxhey Jets in crazy FA Vase penalty shoot-out

Town secured a home tie in the second qualifying preliminary round, but had to thank keeper Mitch Howe who pulled off three great stops in a mad penalty session with nobody able to find the net after the first six attempts.

The tie was 1-1 after 90 minutes at the Combined Counties Watford base, but the Amps took the tie 3-2 on spot kicks after a nerve jangling penalty finale.

Town's James Young had his first kick saved but Mitch Howe replied with a superb stop only for Drew Roberts to have his attempt saved by Lew Lavin before the hosts hit the post.

Kieron Malone's third Town penalty was saved before Howe kept out the Jets third try.

Normality returned when Mark Bunker put Town ahead from the spot only for the hosts to level and when Phil Draycott restored Town's lead Howe was beaten again.

But Mo Ahmed stepped up to blast home the sixth penalty and Mitch Howe followed up to pull off another great save from James Kimber to seal a fantastic win for the Amps.

Town's unbeaten run stayed safe but without some alarms, but after a closely fought contest in which both sides had chances in the 90 minutes Town now advance to host British Airways who play in Combined Counties Division One after putting the Jets off the runway. The tie is next month.

Both goals came in a 10 minute spell in the first half with Draycott's 25th minute free kick only half cleared and Kiyan Newton following up to fire home.

Yet the away lead lasted only ten minutes as George Rice put a low cross into the goalmouth and it found Owen Ayres who raced in to equalise.

The second half saw openings for both sides with Newton clipping the bar after a jinking run and also misfiring when he had the keeper to beat the Jets also had chances which were just off target late on.

But the tie went to penalties which Town came out on top of, thanks to Mitch Howe's handiwork which the crowd will look back on for months to come.

The Amps are on the road to Hertfordshire again this weekend when they go to Division Two side Bovingdon in the Challenge Trophy.

They reached the last four last year so will be keen to make a good start.