Macclesfield Town are though to the semi finals of the Youth Alliance Cup after a 1-1 draw with defending holders Grimsby led to the Silkmen winning 4-3 on penalties.
Macclesfield Town's youth team were 4-3 penalty winners against Grimsby following a 1-1 draw which has seen the Silkmen's 'keeper sent off.
Josh Welsby had been booked early on for a foul on the edge of the area and the resultant free-kick hit the bar.
With the Silkmen looking to exploit the pace of Vinny Mukendi up front the home side was creating the majority of the chances with Greg Daniels and Adam Roberts going close and Vinny Mukendi heading wide from a corner.
The visitors best chance came when Josh Welsby came out quickly to get to a through-ball and headed clear, but only found a Grimsby attacker who's volley went narrowly wide of the open goal.
But the Silkmen were then down to 10 men with five minutes of the first half remaining. Welsby again came out quickly to close down a through-ball, but this time was narrowly beaten to the ball and caught the attacker, earning his second yellow card, and with it, his marching orders.
He was replaced by Liam Davies and the visitors took the initiative in the final five minutes of the half and the Silkmen were happy to see a shot from a low cross blazed over the bar.
The second half saw the Silkmen taking the lead. Captain Michael Thomas was the scorer as he powerfully headed a corner into the back of the net after 10 minutes.
But as the Silkmen tired Grimsby made the extra man advantage count with a late leveller from a volley from a right wing cross.
This set up spot-kicks and Liam Davies would be the hero saving Grimsby's first and fifth. Tom France, Adam Jukes and Vinny Mukendi scored the first three to have the Silkmen leading 3-2 before James Moss saw his kick saved.
Grimsby equalised and Sam Cook re-took the lead for the Blues. The final kick before sudden-death was saved by Davies to spark celebrations from the Silkmen's young side.
John Askey was delighted with the win.
"I'm very pleased with the lads today. Especially to do that with 10 men after having our 'keeper sent off after 40 minutes. But Liam came in and did very well for us.
"I thought we were the better side throughout the game and played some very good football. We've been doing that all season and were good value for our lead. The late goal was down to tiredness as much as anything as the lads had been putting in a lot of effort, and I think it was their only shot on target of the game.
"We had a good few efforts ourselves and were a bit unlucky not to have been further ahead.
"We're in the semi-final now and it's a great experience for the lads because we always tell them that they are here to try and win. It's the club's first semi-final since the LDV a few years ago and it's another good story to come out of the club."
