Against the more fancied Hakoah Sydney City East outfit, the Mariners took the contest all the way to a penalty shoot-out after scores were locked at 2-all at full-time and an additional 30 minutes of play failed to produce a winner.

Howarth, who had made two incredible reflex saves during extra-time, saved Hakoah’s second and third attempts of the shoot-out to hand his side a 4-1 win on penalties.

“We rode our luck a little bit, but you need luck to get through in tough games like that,” Mariners coach Andrew Fearnley said.

“We had some chances as well which we could have buried. We probably deserved something a bit more with a penalty towards the end, and while that wasn’t to be, we still got through.

“Penalties are just composure and not being unnerved. You have just got to take your chances.”

The Football Federation Australia Cup, better known as the FFA Cup, is in its second year. It features teams from the A-League competition – such as inaugural winners Adelaide United – as well as those from the lower tiered national leagues and state-based competitions.

The Mariners did not make it past the first round in 2014 and, while they had won their opening two matches of this year’s edition, were not expected to get the better of Hakoah.

The Sydney club play in a competition a tier above the Mariners and went deep into the FFA Cup last year.

Yet from the opening whistle it was clear the Mariners, playing on a sodden Proctor Park pitch, were not going to be pushovers.

They frustrated their rivals with some sharp passing, good individual skills and solid challenges, Hakoah conceding 10 penalties inside the first 20 minutes as the Mariners made the stronger start.

But Hakoah soon settled into the contest, Howarth making his first save when striker Neil Jablonski sent in a shot from outside the area which skidded on the wet surface and kept low.

While chances came down both ends of the paddock as an even contest unfolded, it was the Mariners who were the first to convert in the 26th minute.

Duncan Logan played a long ball out of defence which released Ricky Guihot. The Mariners striker got a touch on the ball to beat an opposition defender, then slotted home past the advancing goalkeeper.

Guihot’s effort made it 1-0 and he very nearly had another 10 minutes out from half-time when he again got in behind the defence, but this time Hakoah’s custodian was able to take the ball off his feet.

From there, Hakoah quickly counter-attacked and caught out the Mariners’ defence, Jablonski finding the mark to make it 1-all at the break.

The Mariners came out with renewed enthusiasm in the second half and as the game approached the hour mark, they again had the lead.

Skipper Adam Scimone chased hard to win the ball down the left wing and crossed into the box. Both Guihot and James Christie had unsuccessful attempts in a goal mouth scramble before the latter managed to fire home.

As time ticked away it looked as if the Mariners may hold on – clearing one attempt off the line while Howarth fisted away another probing ball – but Jablonski found his second for Hakoah with 12 minutes left.

It remained 2-all until full-time, which triggered an additional 30 minutes of extra-time.

Howarth kept his side in the game with two brilliant saves – one of which was with his legs – during extra-time, while the Hakoah custodian made a spectacular diving block of his own to deny Scimone.

It meant the match would be decided by penalties.

Mitch Rooke was the man to step up for the first Mariners attempt and though his effort was saved, the Hakoah goalkeeper was ruled to have moved off his line too early.

Rooke buried his second attempt, while team-mates Jeremy Judge, Kane Hughes and then John Henry all found the mark.

Jablonski was the only member of Hakoah’s squad who converted, Howarth blocking the two attempts which followed Jablonski’s to put the Mariners into the fourth round of the FFA Cup.

“They made it to the round of 32 last year, so I think they would have had some pretty high aspirations to do that again,” Fearnley said.

“We competed well. It was good to lead and that second lead was important for us. At 2-2 we could have lost our bundle, but we stuck it out to the end.

“Now we play Hawkesbury away in two weeks in the next round of the cup. It’s a winnable game and hopefully we can go a step further.”

WESTERN NSW MARINERS FC 4 (Mitch Rooke, Jeremy Judge, Kane Hughes, John Henry) defeated HAKOAH SYDNEY CITY EAST 1 (Neil Jablonski) on penalties.