Substitute Kieran Green scored an 86th-minute winner to send Grimsby Town into the FA Cup fourth round and break non-league Weston-super-Mare’s hearts.
Charles Vernam’s sensational shot from distance put the Mariners 1-0 up shortly before the break, but Luke Coulson drew the National League South outfit level – in what was their first appearance in their 138-year history in the competition’s third round.
Jaze Kabia scored his 11th goal of the campaign, flicking the ball in following a corner, to put Grimsby back in front.
Again sixth-tier Weston came back, as Louis Britton found the net from six yards out to make it 2-2.
But with extra time looking like a strong possibility, Green headed in from a corner to give the League Two side the win.
Grimsby boss David Artell made six changes for the game and they had to work hard to find the opener through a solid Weston defence which included a lecturer, painter and decorator and a personal trainer among their part-time player ranks.
Jamie Walker’s effort trickled wide of the post, Tyrell Warren’s strike was palmed wide and Vernam sent the ball soaring over the bar among 10 first-half shots for the hosts.
The Seagulls – currently second in their division – had their own efforts, all through the in-form Coulson, who forced Jackson Smith into three saves.
Yet Grimsby found their opener four minutes before the break, after Jude Soonsup-Bell headed on a cross from Vernam, which Harris tipped over the bar to give them a corner.
Vernam took it short and after a one-two unleashed a strike from distance which Harris could this time only watch fly by him into the net.
Weston came out for the second half with impetus as Britton – their goalscoring hero of the second round – shot narrowly over.
Coulson then got them back level with a cool free-kick outside the box, which took a heavy deflection off the wall to leave Smith scrambling as it bounced off the bar and went in.
Warren missed the target with a diving header from a few yards out as Grimsby kept up the pressure, before Kabia slotted in as the ball bounced out and back into the box straight into his path to make it 2-1.
Again Weston would not go quietly as Coulson crossed in a free-kick and it was nodded on to Britton, who found the net again to the delight of the travelling fans.
But eventually Grimsby found a way through as Green looped a header over Harris in the closing stages to bring an end to Weston-super-Mare’s cup run.
Grimsby manager David Artell told BBC Radio Humberside:
“We’ve come up against a really spirited team. You can see why they’ve got to the third round, you can see why they’re used to winning, you can see why they’re near the top of their league. They deserve a huge amount of credit.
“We scored three good goals. They’ve had a bit of fortune with the deflected one that’s gone in the opposite top corner and we’ve got caught cold with a set piece – they’ve scored two set pieces against us.
“But we still won the game and we found a way to win and in knock-out football it’s about finding a way to win.”
Weston-super-Mare manager Scott Rogers told BBC Radio Bristol:
“That is a tough one to take. We showed fantastic character to come back twice, scored two really good, well-worked goals – we worked on them yesterday in training.
“I thought it was going to be our day, I honestly did. The winning goal was good from their point of view, not from ours – good ball in, great run, great header, but we’re a bit disappointed that we didn’t stop it.
“I can’t fault the lads’ effort, they were outstanding to a man and I’m just absolutely gutted for them. That could have been their day today. We came so close, but not to be.”
