REDDITCH'S visiting army of fans were left in stunned silence on Tuesday night after seeing their side let slip a goal in the opening minutes against Woodford United only to suffer a shock exit from the FA Cup after a marathon penalty-shoot out.

Both sets of fans had to endure a nail-biting penalty shoot out to decide the result after the score was 1-1 after 90 minutes and 2-2 after extra-time.

Earlier in the night, Woodford were rocked by an opening goal strike from Redditch's Scott Rickards only minutes into the game, but the home side refused to let the setback upset their planned party. And they came back with their own attacks on the Redditch goal with Travers firing over the bar minutes later.

Redditch's Danny Scheddell and Lee Jenkins combined well to send several meaningful and prolonged attacks into the penalty area.

The Woodford defence held firm but despite their best efforts were unable to pull back the one-goal deficit before half-time.

In the second half, Russell Dunkley and Nicky Gordon put together a string of attacking moves which saw the on-form Dunkley go close.

Woodford were rewarded with their equaliser with a super strike from Craig Pearman which gave the visiting keeper no chance. With the score 1-1 and nothing to separate the two sides, the scene was set for an exciting period of extra-time.

Craig Wilding gave the visiting army of fans something to shout about when he found the back of the net after a sustained period of pressure only for Ben Milner to silence them with an equaliser in the second period of extra-time from the penalty spot.

This took the game to a tense penalty shoot-out which saw Woodford eventually snatch victory by 10-9.

A hushed Byfield Road crowd waited with bated breath as Woodford's Ben Milner stepped up to hit the winning penalty.

As the ball rattled the back of the net, so began the celebrations.

For the Byfield Road outfit, the party was about to begin...for Redditch it was the prospect of a long journey home with only their shock exit from the competition on which to reflect.

The win booked Woodford their place in the third qualifying round where they will be away to Leamington on October 8.

And for the Woodford faithful and delighted club officials, nothing could hide their elation at what was an historic night for the village side as they booked their passage into the third qualifying round of the competition.

Woodford's elated manager Phil Mason described his side's FA Cup triumph as magnificent.

"I'm so pleased for the players, the chairman and the football club."

And his words were echoed by club chairman Andy Worrall who said the Woodford players "had kept their nerve," throughout the game.

"But the end product is the best - to beat them (Redditch) at that level and deserve to win it," he added minutes after the final whistle.