Veteran goalkeeper Mark Walton was Cardiff City's hero at The Racecourse as he pulled-off two fine saves in a penalty shoot-out to send his team through to FAW Premier Cup final.
Wrexham's Lee Trundle had equalised Gethin Jones' early effort with only five minutes of normal time remaining.
And when 30 minutes of extra-time failed to produce a goal, the game had to be decided from the penalty spot.
But Trundle, taking his side's second penalty, then turned villain as his weak shot gave Walton a relatively easy save to make.
With the Cardiff players making no mistake from their four spot kicks, Wrexham captain Darren Ferguson was left the unenviable task of keeping his side's hopes of retaining the cup alive with their fifth and final penalty.
But 32-year-old Walton saved low to his left side to take his side through to a final appearance against either Swansea City or Barry Town.
Jones had given Cardiff the perfect start with only four minutes on the clock with a sweetly struck left foot drive from the edge of the box.
Cardiff then proceeded to control possession in midfield where they seemed to have the physical strength to dominate their opponents.
But Wrexham, with Trundle and Craig Faulconbridge leading the line, always looked capable of scoring.
And it was Trundle who forced Walton to make his first meaningful save after 30 minutes when he unleashed a fierce volley from inside the box.
Fortune-West then tested David Walsh with a looping header and Wrexham's Michael Blackwood went close with a low right foot shot before the referee brought the half to an end.
Wrexham's all-round play showed a greater degree of urgency after the break, while Cardiff looked content on holding a solid defensive line rather than searching for a second goal which would wrapped the game up.
And indeed Cardiff's defensive line of man-of-the match James Collins, Spencer Prior and Mike Simpkins had little trouble in containing Wrexham's advances towards goal.
When Wrexham did manage to get behind Cardiff's defence, they were guilty of some glaring misses.
Faulconbridge was the main offender as he twice failed to make the most of close range headers.
But with only five minutes left for Wrexham to keep their grip on the cup, Trundle delivered the touch of class which took the game into extra-time.
Individual brilliance
With his back to goal on the edge of the box, some delicate footwork sent his marker the wrong way and gave him the necessary room to send a low left foot drive into the bottom left corner.
That goal certainly gave the home side the impetus going into the extra half hour and Cardiff found themselves forced firmly on the back-foot.
Nevertheless, the Bluebirds should have snatched the winner when substitute Martin Giles missed a golden opportunity presented to him by a Fortune-West knock-down.
Trundle continued to look as Wrexham's biggest threat and another piece of individual brilliance forced Walton into making another fine low save with his feet with just two minutes left.
But that was the end of the scoring opportunity and it was left to Brayson, Collins, Gethin Evans and Leyton Maxwell to convert from 12 yards to send Cardiff into only their second ever FAW Premier Cup final.
