Dulwich Hamlet were knocked out in the third round of the FA Trophy following a 1-1 draw and 4-3 penalty shootout defeat at Plymouth Parkway last weekend.
Dulwich equalised in the last minute of normal time but were eliminated from the competition by a lower-league side for the fourth consecutive season.
The hosts – who play in the Southern League Division One South, two tiers below Dulwich – took the lead on a difficult pitch in the fifteenth minute. Winger Rio Garside found River Allen who was fouled in the box by Tyrone Sterling and the latter got up to beat Charlie Grainger from twelve yards.
The Hamlet tried to respond and Darren McQueen shot wide before Gio McGregor’s free-kick was saved by goalkeeper Kyle Moore.
Grainger prevented his side going two goals down when he saved from Garside and Dulwich cleared the loose ball.
The home team continued to push for a second after the break as skipper Mike Landricombe headed wide from Allen’s free-kick and then Grainger twice denied Billy Palfrey.
Grainger was overly busy and made another save from Jack Crago’s shot before Garside’s cross found Matt Andrew who missed in front of a gaping goal.
After James Dayton had failed to find the target from McGregor’s pass, Hamlet boss Gavin Rose brought on Danny Mills and Jordan Green.
It didn’t immediately change the course of the game and defender Finlay Craske was next to threaten when his shot crashed off the crossbar.
Palfrey took the ball around Grainger but was crowded out and couldn’t shoot and then the Hamlet stopper made a brilliant save to deny Callum Rose with seventeen minutes left. From the resulting corner Taylor blocked Crago’s shot on the line.
The Parkway appeared to be heading for a deserved win in normal time until Craske gave away a free-kick in the last minute. It gave McGregor the chance to deliver into the box where Mills headed it to Jack Holland who nodded back to substitute Alpha Diallo who volleyed past Moore.
Neither side could find another goal in extra-time sending the tie to penalties.
There was then a controversial moment from the hosts’ third spot-kick when Grainger saved Ryan Lane’s penalty but the referee deemed the goalkeeper had moved off his line. Lane was successful with his second attempt to make it 2-2 after Green and McGregor had scored for the Hamlet.
Andre Blackman and Palfrey scored their penalties before Moore saved Diallo’s attempt allowing Adam Carter the chance to fire home his side’s winner.
Dulwich are back in National League South action on Boxing Day when they travel to Welling United for a 3pm kick-off.
Hamlet: 4-3-3: Grainger; Taylor, Holland©, Sterling, Blackman; McGregor, Timlin, Dayton (74); Harris-Sealy (Green, 61), German (61), McQueen.
Substitutes not used: Abubakari, Bowker.
Attendance: 394