TEN man Basingstoke Town won a Hampshire Senior Cup semi-final penalty shoot-out thriller over Southampton’s under-23 side at the Camrose on Tuesday night.

New signing Yvan Jourdan was Town’s hero as he slotted home the winning penalty after the shoot-out had gone to sudden death.

In a very entertaining game in front of a big crowd, the home side came out of the blocks flying and led 2-0 after four minutes.

It could have been three had Dan Bayliss converted a corner in the opening minute.

Their opening goal came in the third minute, as a long throw from Adam Everiss was only half cleared to Sam Smart and he fired home from the edge of the area.

A minute later and Smart turned provider for Jourdan at the back post who made no mistake.

The visiting Premier League youngsters then had a good spell of pressure and Will Smallbone pulled one a goal back.

Soon after, Town’s Sam Deadfield and Sam Smart had shots blocked in quick succession.

Then just when he looked like the home side would take their lead in at the break, Tom O’Connor forced a great save from Tom McGill, but the ball spun out to Will Ferry and his goal bound shot was stopped on the line by Everiss with his hand.

The defender was dismissed and Smallbone made no mistake from the spot to make it 2-2.

Just six minutes after the re-start disaster struck as Bayliss was robbed by Nathan Tella and the ball fell to Ferry to slot home.

Soon after they nearly added a fourth, but Tella was denied by the woodwork.

At this point it looked like the visitors were heading to the final, but ten men Town had other ideas and on 72 minutes a long range effort from Dean Stow came off Christoph Klarer and flew into the corner leaving goalkeeper Alex Cull helpless.

In a game which kept giving five minutes later Tyreke Johnson made it 4-3.

Surely there was no way back for Town again, but there was, as from a corner Bayliss made amends for his earlier mistake as blasted the ball into the net with seven minutes to go.

Even then the home side could have won the game in added on time, if not for an excellent save from Cull to deny Jourdan.

However, with no further scoring it went to penalties.

Saints Smallbone went first, but he was unable to score his second penalty of night, as McGill made the save and then Ben Wright made it 1-0 to Town.

Tom O’Connor levelled things and then Town's Sam Argent failed to find the net.

Johnson made no mistake with the next penalty and then a superb stop by Cull denied Stow so Saints led 2-1.

Vockins and Deadfield both scored and this left Ferry with the chance to win the tie, but McGill made an excellent save.

With the tension growing the pressure was now on Charlie Kennedy and he made no mistake forcing the shoot-out into sudden death.

Kornelius Hansen and Jack Wakeley both converted, but then Saints Jamie Bradley-Green blazed over.

It was all up to Jourdan now and he did not disappoint as Town won on another memorable night at the Camrose.

This means Town will face Havant and Waterlooville in the final at Eastleigh on Wednesday April 24.

After the game a delighted Martin Kuhl said: “I am really proud of the commitment, effort and character we showed. We have played 45 minutes with 10 men and twice come back that shows great character.”

Next for Town is a home game in the league with Tiverton on Saturday and they will hoping to move further away from the drop zone.

Kuhl added: “We know Tiverton will be tough, but I want us to build on Tuesday’s performance and Saturday’s win at Wimborne.”