Goalkeeper Dean Drisoll was the Tilbury hero at Melbourne Stadium, saving two City penalties in a dramatic penalty shootout to help ensure the Dockers advanced to the First Round Proper of the FA Youth Cup, where they will host the Under 18s of Football League One club, Stevenage.

The game kicked into life on 58 minutes when a free kick was spilled into the path of the grateful Ryan Blackman, who was able to stab into an empty net and give the visitors a deserved and overdue lead. But the Clarets were handed a lifeline with five minutes left as substitute Chid Onokwai’s progress was hampered when his shirt was tugged from behind. Billy Densham took responsibility for the spot kick and rolled it into the bottom corner.

There was further drama ten minutes into extra time. A set piece delivery from deep was dropped into the goalmouth and Oreva Amata beat Driscoll to the ball in mid air, heading over him into the net. However, a foul on Sebastian Osei-Obengo in the box two minutes from time gave Joe Obersteller the chance to level the scores again from the spot.

With the teams unable to be separated in normal and extra time, penalties followed and Tilbury were handed an early advantage when Driscoll’s two saves earned a 2-0 lead after a pair of kicks apiece. Chelmsford scored their next two, while Tilbury missed one, but Onokwai’s crucial kick to keep the Clarets involved cleared the crossbar so the away side could progress.

City:

1 Peter Haxell

2 Fraser King (C)

3 Tom Went

4 Cameron Kift

5 Luke Edwards

6 Ricky Spriggs

7 Solomon Dennis

8 Billy Densham

9 Austen Whittle

10 Loveday Mumbuluma

11 Ben Arnold

12 Matt Chester (On for Whittle, 75)

14 Chid Onokwai (On for Mumbuluma, 58)

15 Oreva Amata (On for Arnold, 69)

16 Mike Cason

20 Chris Stevens

Tilbury: Dean Driscoll, Joe Christou, Jamie Bacon (Danny Aldwinckle, 91), Joe Obersteller, Ben Crooks (C), Mitchell Curran, Michael Animasaun, Ryan Blackman, Sebastian Osei-Obengo, Ben Smith, Tom Wraight. Unused Substitutes: Ashley Retter, Charlie Whallley, Charlie Stowe, Luke Burr.

Bookings: City: Spriggs (84, dissent), Densham (90+1, foul). Tilbury: Obersteller (65, foul), Crooks (84, foul), Wraight (112, dissent).

Referee: Eugene Okonkwo (Chelmsford).

Assistant Referees: Gary Duffy (Dunmow) and Susan Newton (Witham).