Looking home and dry as they made it 3-1 just after the break, they were instantly pegged back to 3-3 within an eventful three minutes.

And hosts Prudhoe went on to claim the three points when a goalkeeper error was seized upon by Jack Dixon, the substitute winger allowed to tap home into an empty net. However, the victory wasn’t enough for Prudhoe as neither side progressed.

It was Haltwhistle Jubilee who topped the group and made it through, but Hexham were left ruing their missed opportunity against Prudhoe as the three points would have been enough for top spot.

Hexham and Prudhoe were involved in an end-to-end thriller, both teams looking strong both in terms of ability and squad numbers for the match-up.

Hexham had the better of the first half and looked well in control, striker Brad Lowes giving them the lead on seven minutes as he cleverly scooped the ball over the head of Sam Brown and goalkeeper Jack Walker after his initial effort was saved.

It was 1-1 on 15 minutes as Jack Bell scored an equally impressive goal, racing on to Lee Blackburn’s precise through ball and lobbing the stranded Oli Iley from the edge of the area.

Hexham went into the break ahead as, out of the blue, the ball landed at Kurtis Harvey’s feet in the area and he finished smartly with his left foot for 2-1.

The entertaining first half was a warm-up for a remarkable second half, three goals pouring in within three minutes. Getting the ball rolling was Hexham’s new recruit, Johnson, seemed to have wrapped up the points for his team when he rounded Walker and slotted home, even if there was a suggestion of hand ball.

Yet Hexham were pegged back within two minutes as Prudhoe levelled, Blackburn calmly despatching an effort into the far corner from the penalty spot after Johnson brought down Adam Greenwood in the area.

It followed Freddie Allan’s goal 60 seconds earlier to bring Prudhoe back to within a goal, volleying into the empty net after Michael Robson’s headed clearance wrong footed his goalkeeper Iley.

The decisive goal came with 24 minutes remaining, Jack Dixon robbed Iley of the ball after he tried to take the ball around the striker and he tapped home to make it 4-3.

In the shoot-outs which follow each group game, Hexham won 4-3 for the extra point.