Stevenage Under-18s advanced into the third round of the FA Youth Cup after a dramatic 4-2 penalty shootout win at Cambridge United on Wednesday night.
Both sides created chances in tricky conditions at the Abbey Stadium but nobody could find the breakthrough, despite 30 minutes of extra time, with both goalkeepers making vital saves.
Jamie Gray (twice) and Michael Cregan both went close for Stevenage in a first half where Cambridge - with a strong wind in their favour - enjoyed the better possession.
The second half saw Luke Slater and Andronicos Georgiou both fire in efforts at goal before Mark McKee hit the bar with a 70th minute dipping volley.
Twice home 'keeper Finlay Iron denied Boro in the closing eight minutes, firstly from close range as McKee looked to smash home and secondly from Gray in injury time, as Cambridge hung on for extra time.
Chances came and went for both sides in the additional 30 minutes, with Billy Collings making a superb point-blank save on 94 minutes and Cambridge seeing a long clearance six minutes later catch in the wind and fly an inch over the Boro bar, much to the visitors' relief.
With no chances taken in an end-to-end extra time, the game went to penalties. Gray, Cregan, skipper Matt Smyth and sub Sam Dowridge all scored their efforts confidently. Cambridge, however, saw two of their penalties fly over meaning it's Boro's youngsters who progress to an away tie at either Lincoln City or Wigan Athletic in Round 3.
Stevenage XI: Collings, Slater, Smyth, Croud, Kerr, Brady, Guerfi (Dowridge 113), McKee (Mitchell 119), Georgiou (O'Keefe 71), Cregan, Gray
Subs not used: Mewitt, Omar
Attendance: 234