KNOWLE needed penalties to advance to the Les James Challenge Cup semi-finals after a goalless draw with divisional rivals Kenilworth Sporting.
Defences were on top throughout at the Draintech Community Ground as George Seeley scored the winning penalty to send the Robins into the last four.
Sporting were on top for much of the first half, as Knowle struggled to move out of their own half, as Lewis Clarke played a starring role at the heart of the Robins’ defence.
Knowle failed to have a single shot on target but responded to a poor first-half showing with a dominant second-half display as the introduction of Joe Sinton helped the Robins gain control.
Kenilworth captain Rhys Lyons was sent off in the closing stages with Knowle unable to make the man advantage count as the game went to penalties.
Substitute Sinton scored the first penalty before Ben Jones followed suit with Tyrone Wilson on target for Kenilworth.
However, Robins goalkeeper Craig Johnson superbly saved Jacob Dodds’s attempt to give Knowle an early advantage in the shootout.
Reece Staley and Jacob Walton ensured the Robins scored all of their first four spot kicks with Jason Evans and Leo Franklin successful for Sporting.
That was despite Johnson having initially saved Franklin’s penalty only for the kick to be retaken after the keeper was deemed to have encroached as Franklin scored at the second attempt.
However, captain Seeley completed a five-three shootout victory for Knowle as the Robins secured their place in the semi-finals.
Knowle are next in action at home to Cadbury Athletic on Saturday, March 11 with kick-off at 3pm at the Draintech Community Ground.
