Triumphant 'Pools!

Dimi Konstantopoulos was the hero, saving two penalties in the shoot-out and making a string of majestic saves to keep Pool in the tie during 120 minutes of the most nail biting and tense football you will ever come across.

Two goals in front from last Friday's first-leg, Pool conceded two in the latter stages and all thoughts turned to last season's nightmare at Bristol City.

They held out for penalties and then, all thoughts turned to Cheltenham when they lost on spot kicks.

But not this time and, at the fifth attmept, they have reached a final.

Konstantopoulos saved the first, his body blocking Ryan Taylor's effort. Strachan slotted Pool in front.

But Tinkler stuttered in his run up and stabbed his kick too close to the keeper. Gareth Roberts and Joel Porter exchanged goals, as did Iain Hume and Matty Robson.

It was down to sudden death and Chris Dagnall chipped home, leaving it all down to Chris Westwood. He had been immense all night and he delivered again.

Now it was down to those not on the list. Goalscorer David Beresford blasted home, Tony Sweeney tapped home.

Konstantopoulos saved from Ian Sharps and the script was written for Humphreys to secure a day out in Cardiff against the club where he started out.

Westwood thumped a header high over from close range just four minutes in, Rovers response was a tame McAteer shot from the edge of the area.

Humphreys drove at the back line, but hesitated under pressure and his loose layoff found only a home shirt.

Pool were desperate to come through the first ten minutes unscathed and they managed it - but only just.

Iain Hume connected with a loose ball as the watermark was reached and smashed his shot against the crossbar from ten yards.

Pool's defending was hectic, chasing and closing down in numbers every time Rovers had possession. It wasn't pretty or easy on the nerves of the 2,300 fans behind Dimi Konstantopoulos' goal, but it was keeping Rovers out.

While Pool were defending with ten men, after Eifion Williams went down following a boot to the head, Westwood deflected a Roberts cross into the side netting.

Williams continued, but Rovers lost skipper McAteer soon after through injury.

Konstantopoulos was called into action on 25 minutes for the first time. He got two strong hands to push out a fierce Dadi shot after the big striker turned in the penalty area.

The second landmark they needed to pass was 30 minutes and it was another job done, however uneasy and now they were starting to gradually frustrate the home crowd.

They were helped by Dadi conceding three fouls in quick succession, which Pool gladly snapped up.

Jon Daly defended at every opportunity and he was being shown the way by Chris Westwood, who was immaculate.

But when Pool had the ball, they couldn't keep it and lost possession far too easily, moving the ball forward every chance they had with no-one showing composure.

Hume let the evening's tension get to him right on half-time and, after lashing out at Nelson on the floor, escaped with a yellow card.

Paul Hall flashed the ball across the box, but out of reach of his team-mates. Hume picked up possession and Nelson had to divert his teasing cross away for a corner.

It was met by Goodison and his strong header from close range was magnificently pushed over the bar by Konstantopoulos.

There was little change in events after the restart, Rovers pressing, with Pool defending firmly and deeply.

Brian Little's side were stretching Pool, using the left flank at every opportunity, but Nelson and Westwood were impregnable in the middle.

A centre from substitute David Beresford found Hall, but his header was comfortable for Konstantopoulos.

The Greek colossus then pushed a goalbound Harrison header onto the post on the hour mark.

Micky Barron hobbled off with 25 minutes go to, replaced by Ben Clark. Pool hopes it wasn't a bad omen, as the skipper went off as Ashton Gate at the same stage 12 months ago.

Mark Tinkler replaced him and went alongside Nelson, with Westwood dropping deep. It was a move which was to prove Pool's downfall.

Daly created space and fired in a shot, Pool's first goalbound effort of the night.

The goal Rovers craved for and Pool didn't want arrived on 65 minutes.

Ryan Taylor curled a 25-yard free-kick over the defensive wall and it squirmed past Konstantopoulos into the bottom corner of the net.

Pool were still 20 minutes from glory, and with last year's agony in mind, it was going to be the longest 20 minutes of their lives.

Boyd tried his luck from long range, but didn't test Achterburg and, at the other end, hearts were in mouths as Westwood headed away and across his own goal.

Pool's hopes rested on playing on the break and Porter pitifully lost possession in the danger area after Boyd put him on the attack.

Westwood had won everything in the air at the back, but Tinkler's arrival in defence caused more confusion for Pool than Rovers, as Westwood was left to pick up the pieces.

Tinkler conceded a free-kick in an identical position from where Taylor scored, this time the wall blocked it.

Pool's game plan was blasted to pieces with four minutes left. Hall rolled the ball into Beresford's path and he smashed the ball into the corner past Konstantopoulos.

Hall looked like he was going to win it in injury time, but Tinkler flung his body into the path of the ball.

With the last kick of normal time, Sweeney burst into the area, checked back and fired at keeper Achterburg.

Tinkler conceded a free-kick on Hume and Taylor's effort was heading for the far corner before Konstantopoulos' intervention.

Extra time was no different to normal time, Pool were defending constantly and refused to entertain any sort of possession.

Twice Porter got into good positions out wide, but he took the wrong option by firing across goal both times.

Then Konstantopoulos made another majestic stop to deny Dadi's six-yard drive.

Pool had enjoyed their best spells in extra time and a massive scramle at the death saw Humphreys shoot wide.

Then Pool had a massive penalty shout knocked back with the last kick as Sweeney turned Jackson and was blatantly felled.