Brady Lesbirel was outstanding for Sylvans last night at the Track. (0823882)

But, as the Sylvans coach emphasised, this time it was ‘for all the right reasons’.

His young side were nothing short of heroic at the Track, especially after they were reduced to 10 men with their most experienced player, Lee Renouf, dismissed for deliberate handball, and they thoroughly deserved a place in the Stranger Cup semi-finals.

Bels, who are worryingly out of sorts with a huge match against St Martin’s looming on Saturday, had seemingly used their get-out-of-jail-free card when Paul Ramsden scored an astonishing 93rd-minute equaliser from wide on the right, nigh on 50 yards out in this extraordinary match.

That made it 2-2 and took the tie into extra-time after Wayne Bishop and Greg Roland had given the visitors a two-goal half-time lead.

The crucial moment of the second half came with 25 minutes remaining as Renouf instinctively ‘saved’ Sam Cochrane’s header, which was destined for the net, leaving Geoff Greening no choice but to send him off.

Simon Marley scored the resultant penalty to halve the deficit, but just when Sylvans’ rearguard looked set to pay off, Ramsden popped up with his late cross-cum-shot that found the top corner.

Moments into extra-time, Ashley Williams misjudged Chris King’s long-range effort and let it creep in as Bels took the lead for the first time, but it lasted only two minutes as Jamie Le Cheminant responded in kind for Sylvans.