Cheltenham Town were knocked out of the Gloucestershire Senior Cup as Gloucester City claimed a win on penalties after the first round tie ended all square at Hartpury College.
Danny Wright and Will Dawes grabbed the first half goals for the Robins, but a second half strike from Will Morford ensured the game was decided on spot kicks with the hosts emerging victorious.
In a match played behind closed doors, it was the Tigers who threatened early on with striker Zack Kotwica twice denied by an alert Jon Flatt.
George Lloyd volleyed narrowly wide for the Robins while Josh Thomas and Wright both tested the handling of Alex Harris before the game’s opening goal on 22 minutes.
Archie Brennan’s clever cross was headed goalwards by Lloyd and although Harris kept out the initial effort he could do nothing to stop Wright sweeping home the loose ball.
Brennan went close with a deflected header before Gloucester levelled when Reece King played in Kotwica who steadied himself before firing across Flatt and low into the bottom left hand corner.
Cheltenham, though, resorted their lead seconds before the break when Matt Bower’s long searching crossfield ball was headed on by Wright into the path of Dawes.
The young midfielder still had much to do, but skillfully cut infield from the right, beat his man and riffled a low drive into the bottom right hand corner.
The Robins made two changes at the break, bringing on Will Boyle and Jerell Sellars, and the pair almost combined within two minutes as Sellars fired wide after Boyle played in Lloyd.
Flatt produced another fine stop at the other end to deny Ross Finnie, but he could do little on 54 minutes when a weak backpass was latched onto by Morford, who slotted home.
Cheltenham pushed for a winner, with an Aaron Downes header flashing across the face of goal before Lloyd and Dan O’Shaughnessy both went close in the dying minutes before the drama of penalties.
CHELTENHAM TOWN: Flatt, Downes (Williams 66), Davey, Bower, O’Shaughnessy, Atangana (Boyle 45), Brennan, Dawes, Wright (Sellars 45), Lloyd. Subs not used: Clayton (Gk), Llewelyn.
GLOUCESTER CITY: Harris, Hanks (Low 45), Tunnicliff (Hall 45), Parselle, Avery, King, Edge, Finnie, Morford, Kotwica (Sirdic 65), Chambers. Subs not used: Parker, Thomas.