Chessington 0 - Ringmer 1

RINGMER'S first FA Cup win since 1998 booked The Blues on a daytrip to the Garden of England with designs on pruning Kent Premier Division outfit Erith Town down to size on Saturday. But an unwieldy Chessington side made Ringmer sweat on this result as two crucial decisions in the final 15 minutes both went in the visitors' favour.

On 76 minutes, the Surreymen thought they'd equalized when a header by substitute Adam McCullagh appeared to ripple the Ringmer net before being clawed out by keeper Richard Branson. On consultation with his assistant, referee Mr Bowley-Booth allowed play to continue and Ringmerites could breathe again. Branson, though, was sure of his ground, 'the ball was only a quarter over the line and it was my hand that moved the net. They were always going to claim it just in case.'

Ringmer's second slice of fortune followed five minutes later when central defender Tom Holden made clear hand contact on the ball inside the penalty area. However, the judgement passed down was a Blue free kick for a push on Ringmer's Captain Marvel to Chessington's abject horror.

Despite the incidents, the away side worked like Trojans for their reward. The line-up remained unchanged for what was always likely to be a problematic tie. Recent campaigns have produced some shoddy results against clubs hailing from the Combined Counties League, quite aside from Ringmer's abysmal FA Cup record since making the First Round proper way back in 1970.

Later this season, 2500 supporters might be cramming into River Lane's spartan facilities when AFC Wimbledon come to town, but it still would have been a miserable place to dip out of the world-wide renowned competition in the manner of Burgess Hill and Southwick. Yet, for Ringmer, the road to Cardiff began here.

The visitors totted up a majority of early chances with Chris Johnson and Aaron MacMillan shooting off target. Chessington's Adrian Lloyd was guilty of a miss in the first degree, though, dragging his effort across the face of goal after a defensive muddle.

The hooped shirts began to experience some joy down the right flank via Danny Heath's incisive play, which the tactically astute boss Glenn Burvill was quick to rectify. Swapping over widemen MacMillan and workaholic Matt Pachent quelled the danger and Ringmer pressed as a result. MacMillan forced keeper Ben Andrews into a fine save on 22 minutes, shortly before the decisive strike was made. Grant Bean raced clear, drawing Andrews into more preventative measures, however this time he could do little but stare in wonderment as Ian Costello's thunderbolt of a follow up catapulted Ringmer into the lead.

Swift home striker Wayne Marecheau should have restored parity before the break but Chessington's best moments were on the horizon. The second half was entirely besmirched by some atrocious officiating throughout which got the heckles up on both sets of players. MacMillan had time to dazzlingly send Mark Henry clear prior to leaving the field with worrying ankle damage.

One-nil proved a perilous state of affairs and with the financial incentive of the Cup at stake, things began to get tetchy. Having survived the hosts' goal claims and the green and whites' vehement protestations over the Holden hand-ball ruling, Ringmer still had to negotiate ten excruciating added minutes during which time, Chessington's Mark Arnett waved goodbye with his second booking.

When the hundred minutes were finally up, Ringmer's No 2 in command Adam Brown immediately heaped praise on the team, 'if there are 15 players who graft harder than this lot then I've not met them. Matt Pachent was up and down the pitch again. He was brilliant.' On the controversies he added, 'I'll have to play Arsene Wenger on this one and say I didn't see the disallowed goal but the ref made a good spot on the penalty claim.'

RINGMER: Branson, Fensome, MacMillan (O'Brien 63), Haworth, Holden, Henry, Pachent, Johnson, Bean (Ford 77), Montgomery, Costello (Rhodes 82). Subs (not used): Best, Allison. MOM: Matt Pachent industrious.