The Magpies prevailed 5-3 in a sudden-death shootout after scores were locked at 1-all after 30 minutes of extra time.

It was the same result for Maitland in the reserve grade elimination final against Adamstown, with keeper Alex Bozinovski blocking the third shot on goal in that game.

In first grade Joel Wood calmly scored first and then in the ultimately deciding moment Azzurri's Kane Goodchild struck the ball straight and hard into the crossbar.

It was a cruel twist for Goodchild who had provided the equaliser in the 78th minute with a scrambled goal to send the game into overtime after Maitland's Braedyn Crowley opened the scoring in the 58^th minute after being set up with a lovely through pass by Matt Swan.

It was Crowley's 14^th goal from 14 games and seventh from the past four.

'The shootout continued with Sean Pratt, James Thompson and Carl Thornton all converting from the spot and Charlestown's Matt Tull, Zach Lloyd and Kevin Davison scoring as well.

Trott stepped up after convincing coach Mick Bolch to include him in the penalty line-up and managed to send the ball past his rival Nathan Archbold.

A worthy man of the match award winner, Trott had kept the Magpies in the game with several saves including a pivotal capture in the dying minutes of the extra time to deny Kane Goodchild.

"I landed on the ball and it got stuck between my legs with about five to go," Trott said of the match-winning save while receiving Bar TV's man of the match.

As for stepping up to take a penalty and prolonging his Magpies career for at least one more match, Trott said: "I though I'll take number five, my career's in my hands. I said to Bolchy I won't miss put me in there.

"Head down don't even look at the keeper and put it in the corner was the plan."

Practice made perfect as the winner followed the same routine as his final three shots at training on Friday night which had all found the back of the net.

"I took about five at training last night and they were all horrendous. I took about 10 in the end and three in a row went in in that spot and I thought I'm taking one tomorrow if I get there.

"I executed the same as training, so a good bit of training payed off."

It was a superhuman effort by the Magpies who were two men down by the 10 minute mark, with Ryan Clarke injured in warm-up and Liam Thornton was sidelined with a leg injury.

After playing most of reserve grade Joey O'Connor replaced Clarke in the starting line-up and Sam Webb came on for Thornton.

O'Connor played the entire game as did Matt Swan coming back from a groin injury.

The team remained the same until Dylan Bozinovski came on to replace Webb.

Players were cramping all over the field, including a back spasm which left Crowley contorted on the ground.

But the Magpies dug deep and pushed through for a memorable win and will face Newcastle Olympic in the second elimination final next week after Olympic was defeated 3-1 by Broadmeadow Magic in the qualifying final.

Magic plays minor premiers Edgeworth in the major semi-final for a spot in the grand final.