PERSHORE Town continued to live up to their giant killing tag as they twice came from behind against the 10-men of Step 5 Lutterworth Town to reach the Smedley Crooke Memorial Cup final after a 3-2 penalty shootout win.

Eddie Cox proved to be the hero as his save in the shootout secured their place in the final, where they will now again face a side a league above them in local rivals Malvern Town.

It is the third win of the season for The Plums against a side at a higher level after they beat Step 3 teams Bromsgrove Sporting and Redditch United on the way to making the final of the Worcestershire FA Senior Cup.

James Baldwin equalised after the break to make it 1-1 before the visitors were reduced to 10-men but despite going behind again, Sean Cooke forced the clash to be decided from the spot, where the Plums kept their cool to complete the upset.

"It was another fantastic night for the club and one which is always made by the Pershore Town fans," said manager Danny Janes at the full-time whistle.

"It was a difficult night for us, Lutterworth were strong and it was the best I’ve seen them from the three games we had watched.

"We were very patched up last night, we had seven players out though injury and Illness, we lost Jordan Jones on the day of the game through illness so we were so stretched.

"I never makes excuses and I said to the players if we lose the game, it is not because we have important players missing, it’s because we haven’t done enough on the pitch with the players who are in the building.

"However, to achieve what they did last night after so many set backs is outstanding."

It was the second time Pershore had been taken to a shootout in a cup competition this season after that dramatic victory over Bromsgrove Sporting in the quarter-finals of the WFA Cup earlier this year. 

And The Plums repeated their heroics from that day and Janes was full of praise.

"We go to penalties and I disagree with anyone that says it is a lottery. It’s a technical skill that requires a psychological approach to compliment the technical aspect.

"I said to the players full credit to anyone who steps forward, I have no issues with anyone who doesn’t convert.

"Eddie Cox delivers for us in goal and the rest is history.

"We have a special group of players here, 7 of the starting 11 were players who were already here before we came in, that just shows how much they have brought into the project and how they have applied themselves.

"Great night but we move on very quickly to Saturday."