Exeter City, comfortably the better team for much of the first 90 minutes, produced a stirring comeback last night, first to force extra-time and then to go on and win the second semi-final on penalties and book themselves a trip to Wembley, where they will face Morecambe on Sunday week.
Winning the away leg by a single goal appeared to have given Oxford a big advantage but Exeter's away form has been good this season, while Jim Smith's side had been far from invincible in front of their own fans, where they drew nine and lost three of their 23 league fixtures.
The Grecians certainly began like a team who knew they could break their opponents down. They had by far the better of the early exchanges and only an erroneous linesman's flag saved Oxford when Phillips turned Lee Elam's low cross from the left past Billy Turley in the 12th minute. A goal was coming but remarkably it was Oxford who scored it. Yemi Odubade had barely had a kick after clattering into City's keeper, Martin Rice, in the first few minutes but a fortunate rebound put the striker in space and after a muscular dribble into the area his low right-foot shot beat Rice's attempt to palm the ball away.
Parity on the night was restored quickly and deservedly when Matt Day's cross was headed past Turley by the unmarked Phillips, and Smith must have been glad to get his side into the dressing room.
Exeter continued to dominate in the second period and Jon Challinor twice almost brought the aggregate level, first putting a header from Andy Taylor's cross just wide and then firing in a 25-yard drive which Turley palmed round a post.
Smith sent on Rob Duffy and he should have immediately made the game safe but, one on one with Rice he made an amateurish attempt to round the keeper instead of shooting. It was made to look even worse soon afterwards when another substitute, Adam Stansfield, angled a shot across Turley and inside the far post to take the game into extra-time.
Exeter continued to press and they should have won it before the agony of penalties. Even then they were the first to miss but Rice saved from Barry Quinn, and Turley and Chris Zebroski both hit posts. Turley saved from Richard Logan but Steve Tully finally sent Exeter to Wembley for the first time in their history.