Shootout choker for Cherries

Browning saw his sudden-death spot-kick saved by Cardiff goalkeeper Neil Alexander as Cherries' memorable cup adventure came to an unfortunate end.

The shoot-out reached its dramatic climax after Alan Connell, John Spicer, James Hayter and Wade Elliott had all netted for Cherries.

And although Neil Moss had given the hosts a flying start by saving Graham Kavanagh's first spot-kick, Brian Stock saw his opening penalty come back off the inside of the post.

Chris Barker then sent Moss the wrong way from the first of the sudden-death penalties before Browning's effort was saved low down to his left by City's second string stopper Alexander.

This pulsating third round tie had started promisingly for Cherries when Hayter gave them an eighth-minute lead.

But goals either side of half-time from Alan Lee and Lee Bullock had threatened to end Cherries' cup dream in normal time.

However, on a night of high drama, Hayter headed home a last-gasp leveller to send the tie in extra-time before Cameron Jerome struck to give City the lead.

City then had Tony Vidmar sent off for two bookings before Stock netted from the resultant free-kick to set up a grandstand finale.

Sean O'Driscoll named an unchanged starting line-up following Cherries' 2-1 win at Oldham on Saturday with Neil Young again filling in at left-back.

With kick-off delayed by 15 minutes due to traffic congestion, the two sides continued their warm-ups as a large crowd gathered at Dean Court.

Cherries were quickly into their stride and Steve Fletcher went close with a glancing header from a Young centre just four minutes in.

Wade Elliott then tried his luck with an ambitious effort from near the right touchline, although his shot was easy pickings for Neil Alexander.

Cherries took the lead after just eight minutes when James Hayter capitalised on some slack defending to notch his 12th goal of the season.

The 25-year-old hitman pounced after City defender Chris Barker had made a hash of dealing with Garreth O'Connor's excellent reverse pass.

And although Alexander tried to close him down, Hayter cleverly lifted the ball over the goalkeeper before smashing it into the roof of the net.

Neil Moss did enough to prevent Peter Thorne carving out a chance when he dived bravely at his feet and although the striker managed to help the ball on, Shaun Maher was on hand to clear.

Alan Lee then wasted a good chance to level for the Bluebirds when he headed Graham Kavanagh's 18th-minute free-kick wide from just six yards.

Hayter and John Spicer almost brought the house down with a sweeping one-two from the halfway line, the Arsenal loan star just failing to connect with his team-mate's cut-back after making his way into the danger zone.

Cardiff restored parity in the 24th minute when Lee squeezed a header inside Moss's right-hand post after outjumping the Cherries defence to meet Thorne's cross.

Cherries were convinced they had regained the lead just five minutes later when Fletcher rose above James Collins to power home a Hayter centre.

However, the targetman's effort - a superb header - was curiously ruled out after referee Iain Williamson decided Fletcher had committed a foul.

And as Cherries continued to create chances, Spicer hooked a right-foot shot over the crossbar before Eddie Howe also cleared the woodwork with a header from Brian Stock's corner.

Maher also got in on the act following a 38th-minute short corner between O'Connor and Stock, but the big Irishman headed the wrong side of the post after arriving at the far stick.

Young's excellent saving tackle blocked Lee's drive after Cardiff's half-time substitute Paul Parry had got free and crossed from the left.

The visitors took the lead four minutes into the second half when Lee Bullock headed home Joe Ledley's corner, with Cherries claiming in vain that the goalscorer had impeded Moss.

Referee Williamson then started to take centre stage by making a number of baffling decisions, the worst of which was when he penalised Howe for a foul following his superb sliding tackle on two Cardiff players.

Cherries went close to equalising in the 65th minute when Hayter fired inches wide with a first-time snapshot from another Elliott centre before Moss got down well to smother a shot by Ledley.

Moss was forced to punch away a fierce drive by Kavanagh before play quickly switched to the opposite end where Stock saw his rasping 25-yarder just clear the crossbar.

Stock had a chance to level but clipped his free-kick from just outside the box into the wall before Hayter popped up to dramatically send the tie into extra-time - with just 40 seconds of normal time remaining.

The prolific marksman nodded home Spicer's cross at the near post after substitute Alan Connell had slipped the ball into the Arsenal man's path on the left flank.

Hayter's 13th goal of the season sent the Dean Court crowd into raptures and was a deserved reward for Cherries' first-half display when O'Driscoll's side had dominated their big-spending opponents.

Derek Holmes saw his effort easily saved by Alexander as Cherries looked to draw first blood in overtime before Spicer went within a whisker of grabbing the lead, his low drive flashing narrowly past the upright.

Substitute Jerome, lucky to still be on the pitch after escaping a second yellow card for fouling Howe, fired the Bluebirds in front three minutes into the second period of extra-time when he netted with a cool finish after skipping into the box and clipping the ball past Moss.

City defender Tony Vidmar, booked earlier for kicking the ball away, received his marching orders after collecting a second caution for hauling down Hayter on the edge of the box with just three minutes left.

And dead-ball specialist Stock made the Bluebirds pay when he stepped up to convert the resultant free-kick, squeezing his effort inside Alexander's near post.