Swansea City booked their place in the Nathaniel MG Cup final courtesy of a penalty shootout win over Cardiff Met, following a 0-0 draw in 90 minutes at Landore.
The young Swans have impressed in the competition so far this season and they dominated the chances in the first half on Wednesday night.
Cameron Congreve looked most dangerous as the hosts surged forward, curling an early effort over the bar before seeing a long-range strike deflect wide. Met goalkeeper Alex Lang was also called into action to deny Joe Thomas.
The Archers had the ball in the net late in the half, but the assistant referee’s flag was raised for offside.
Lang and his opposite number Remy Mitchell continued to impress after the break, with the Swans shot-stopper tipping a close-range header onto the bar before Lang denied the ever-threatening Congreve.
It was Met who came closest to winning the tie in 90 minutes as former Swan Tom Price struck the bar in the dying moments, but penalties soon beckoned.
The Swans had already won one shootout in this season’s Nathaniel MG Cup – progressing past fellow wildcard side Cardiff City in round three – and they triumphed from the spot again.
Anthony Wright’s side took the advantage when Remy Mitchell saved Met’s second effort from Eliot Evans, but Maliq Cadogan hit the post straight after to allow Emlyn Lewis to level the score at 2-2.
Both sides scored all of their remaining penalties in the regular five to send the shootout to sudden death, where Lincoln McFayden scored for the Swans before Mitchell produced another save to deny Tom Vincent and send the hosts through.
It means that Met exit the competition despite the remarkable record of not conceding a goal in normal time in any of their four matches – the Archers reached the semi-finals courtesy of clean sheet wins over Taffs Well, Afan Lido and Pontypridd United.
“The outcome was really important to us,” Swansea coach Wright said. “When we reflect we’ll be pleased and the positives out of it, we’ll be grateful that we’ve got through,” said Wright.
“Remy [Mitchell] did extremely well in the penalty shootout and we’re in the final, which was our objective at the start of the competition.”
Wednesday night’s other semi-final between Guilsfield and The New Saints was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at Clos Mytton. The tie will now be played on Tuesday 9 January (KO 7:45pm).
