Goals from Will Dickson and Joel Ndala gave us a commanding, deserved 2-0 lead at Blundell Park before Jahmai Simpson-Pusey was sent off in the closing stages of the first half.
Following a hard-fought and enthralling second 45 minutes, Brian Barry-Murphy’s brave side battled valiantly with a player less but heartbreakingly conceded two late goals which sent the tie to penalties.
However, we held our nerve and won 4-2 thanks to two shootout saves from the 18-year-old keeper.
“It’s a wicked feeling [to save two penalties],” Murray-Jones explained.
“But it’s a bit of comfort to know we were two up [in the shootout] so there’s a bit of leeway if we make a mistake, but I suppose it gives us a bit more relaxation because they know we’re in front.
“The penalty shootout is to try and put them off as much as I can [with] a bit of talking and trying to get in their head.
“That’s what I’ve done with two of them and saved two of them I think with two quality saves. They’re not bad penalties to be fair, but I think I did enough to put them off.”
The EFL Trophy sees selected Under-21 sides from the Premier League face senior sides across League One and League Two.
And Murray-Jones believes facing senior professionals will only benefit him and his colleagues.
He added: “It was obviously going to be physically tough and just the pace of the game. I don’t think it’s too much different from what we face on the weekend and midweek.
“It’s [a challenge playing] full grown men.”
