Middlesbrough scraped into the FA Cup fifth round in a penalty shoot-out as goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer proved their hero after Bristol City took Boro all the way by holding them to a 2-2 draw in their fourth round replay.
The Australian saved from Phil Jevons and substitute Craig Woodman to finally end Bristol City's remarkable resistance, with Adam Johnson coming off the bench to clinch victory.
Gary Johnson's Coca-Cola League One side led through David Noble's 23rd-minute strike - and after Mark Viduka and Ayegbeni Yakubu had seemingly put the tie beyond them, City claimed a 117th-minute equaliser through defender Jamie McCombe.
But Boro, for whom Yakubu missed from the spot in both extra-time and the shoot-out, edged into the next round - where they will meet Championship promotion contenders West Brom at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday, in a tie which will see Baggies boss Tony Mowbray return to his home-town club.
Gareth Southgate felt confident enough to leave star striker Viduka, struggling with a calf problem in recent weeks, sitting on the bench - with Jonathan Woodgate and Julio Arca sidelined by injury.
But by half-time Boro were trailing by the game's only goal.
Noble's 23rd-minute strike came courtesy of a defensive mix-up which left full-back Andrew Taylor playing the striker on-side as he ran on to Alex Russell's through-ball.
But what will have worried Southgate more was that his side struggled to break down a well-organised and hard-working City outfit, despite the absence of five first-choice players through suspension and ineligibility.
The Robins created the first real chance of the game on six minutes when Noble, with the help of a generous decision from controversial referee Phil Dowd, warmed Schwarzer's hands from distance.
However, Yakubu smashed a right-foot drive inches wide of debutant goalkeeper Chris Weale's left post on 17 minutes as Boro threatened to get into their stride.
But their problems increased when Noble ran into acres of space to collect Russell's pass and slide a shot under Schwarzer.
The Teessiders might have been level within a minute, only for Seb Hines to head Stewart Downing's corner straight at Malcolm Christie in front of goal.
While City were at times forced to defend deep and in numbers, they were rarely in any genuine trouble - and with Russell, Noble and Lee Johnson keeping the Barclays Premiership midfield fully-occupied, the boos which greeted Southgate's men as they left the pitch at the break told their own story.
It was no surprise when Viduka emerged to loud cheers after the break, he and Andrew Davies replacing Christie and Hines.
Viduka needed little invitation to impose himself on the game and linked with strike partner Yakubu twice within three minutes.
Only Richard Keogh's determination denied the Nigerian a shot at goal on 50 minutes, and Weale had to make his first real save two minutes later after Yakubu shot first time from Viduka's pass.
The pressure told 21 minutes from time when, after City had only half-cleared a Downing corner, the England winger delivered the ball perfectly for Viduka to head home from point-blank range.
There seemed only one likely conclusion, and Viduka fired agonisingly across the face of goal on 78 minutes with the visitors tiring.
Downing hit a post with an 81st-minute drive, and then substitute Johnson rattled the bar seconds later - but City rode their luck to take the tie to extra-time.
Yakubu should have won it for Boro when he won a 96th-minute penalty after being tripped by McCombe, but his spot-kick lacked both direction and pace - and Weale saved easily.
However, he redeemed himself six minutes later when - after Weale had palmed Johnson's shot against McCombe - he tapped the rebound home.
Boro survived a real scare when Emanuel Pogatetz got to Woodman's cross marginally before Jennison Myrie-Williams.
But McCombe's fortunes changed three minutes from time when he equalised from Scott Murray's cross to take the tie to penalties after all.
Schwarzer got Boro off to the perfect start by saving Jevon's opening attempt - and then, after Yakubu had hit the post with the scores at 4-4, the Australian kept out Woodman's effort to set the scene for Johnson to finally end the tension.
