Goalkeeper Ian Studholme was Windscale’s hero as they got through a cup-tie on a penalty shoot-out.
The Wearside League switched attention to the Alan Hood Charity Trophy and Windscale were drawn away to South Moor, their second trip to the north east in three days.
South Moor had been promoted from Division Two at the end of last season, and have had a decent enough start, currently sitting mid-table in the top division.
In scorching hot weather, with the game played on a narrow concrete hard pitch, both teams took time to adjust to the conditions.
Windscale looked the more dangerous of the two sides at the start but were thwarted by good possession of the ball at the back by the South Moor defence.
It was the visitors who opened the scoring when Kieron Fraser played a ball down the touchline for Ben Graham. He controlled the ball at pace before firing across goal for Lewis Jolly to hammer beyond South Moor keeper Ethan Bridge.
Minutes before half time the Atoms increased their advantage after three players each laid the ball off with one touch and contrived an opening for Graham.
Following the final pass, an intelligent run off the ball left Graham facing Bridge advancing from his goal and he calmly looped the ball over the keeper to give the Atoms a 2-0 lead at the break.
South Moor started the second period the stronger, reducing the arrears through new signing Kyle Fazakerley.
Windscale had failed to clear an attack down the right flank and when the ball was switched quickly to the left Fazakerley smashed a curling shot in off the far post.
Despite this set-back the visitors still appeared to be in the hat for the next round only for South Moor to draw level in the fourth minute of additional time.
Windscale failed to effectively clear the ball, giving South Moor the opportunity to deliver a cross to the far post where substitute Adrian Bailey nodded the ball home from close range.
South Moor had one further chance to take the tie when they failed to dispatch a loose ball in the six yard box, Windscale keeper Ian Studholme saved well to take the game straight to the dreaded penalty shoot-out.
It was Studholme again who proved to be the hero of the day saving two of the South Moor kicks before Matt Metcalf fired home the deciding kick to give the Atoms a 4-3 win in that particular contest.
