Richard Peniket and Shane Byrne kept Wembley dreams burning brightly as Gateshead and Brackley Town booked their places in the semi-finals of the Buildbase FA Trophy on Tuesday night.
Former Wales U21 international Peniket notched late on to fire Steve Watson’s Gateshead to a 3-2 fourth-round replay victory over Leyton Orient while in Northamptonshire, Byrne, once of Bury and Leicester, struck as Brackley defeated Stockport County by 2-1 to reach the semi-final stage for the first time in their history.
Danny Johnson had Gateshead in dreamland in the first half of their clash with the O’s at the International Stadium, the ex-Cardiff City man scoring twice inside the opening 16 minutes.
He prodded home from a Jordan Preston cross with just 95 seconds on the clock before Johnson fired home from the penalty spot after he had been tripped by Dan Happe.
Eight minutes after the break though, James Brophy half-volleyed into the net to make it 2-1 and the visitors were level when the same man swung in a free-kick for captain David Mooney to head home.
But with ten minutes to go, Scott Barrow won the ball back out wide and crossed or Peniket to grab the winner.
Brackley held their nerve to progress at the expense of National League North rivals Stockport and they got off to the perfect start when Lee Ndlovu teed up Aaron Williams to give them a 1-0 lead inside five minutes.
Three minutes after half time, the Hatters were level as Jason Oswell tapped into the net from Scott Duxbury’s delivery but Byrne’s winning goal arrived shortly afterwards.
The Irishman turned and curled home with aplomb to send his team through.
Brackley will face Wealdstone over two legs in the semi-final later this month but Gateshead will have to wait to discover the identity of their opposition.
They’ll face either Spennymoor Town or Bromley, whose fourth-round replay in County Durham was postponed for the second time, with the surface at the Brewery Field failing a pitch inspection held by the match referee.
