Halstead chief Andy Clark was jubilant after his side pulled off a shock 1-0 win over East Thurrock United last night.
Gareth Heath's 70th-minute penalty saw off the Rocks in this FA Cup preliminary round replay and Clark said: "As a one-off result it's probably the best we've had since I've been at the club.
"They're a very good side who play in the league above us, but we showed our 3-3 draw with them on Saturday wasn't a fluke.
"It was backs-against-the-wall stuff at times, but we did very well."
A second-half revival saw Maldon Town coast into the next round of the FA Cup after a 3-1 win over Great Wakering Rovers at Park Drive.
Town were trailing 1-0 at half-time, but after the restart, they played with renewed confidence.
Simon Parker (two) and Nicky Simpson fired Maldon's goals and delighted boss Colin Wallington said: "We did not look a threat in the first half and it wasn't until the second half, when we got the ball down and passed it about, that we made the breakthrough.
"I don't think the result was going to be in any doubt after that."
Keith Martin's Heybridge Swifts secured their second Ryman League premier division win on the trot last night, winning 2-0 at Leyton.
Swifts took the lead on 11 minutes when Erdem Artun's corner hit the near post and rebounded for Dwayne Edwards to rifle in for his third goal in two matches.
Swifts continued to press the advantage in the first half and Carl Griffiths saw a chance denied shortly after Edwards' opener.
The visitors extended their lead in the second half when John Pollard's goalbound header was steered in by Griffiths.
The evening's only low point for Swifts came when Boniek Forbes clashed with Leyton's Scott Curley and they both earned themselves red cards.
At Cressing Road, Bertie Brayley struck with virtually the last kick of the game to gift Braintree Town a 1-0 win over Wealdstone.
The Iron, who had been hammered 3-0 by Slough at the weekend, bounced back well.
But they had to wait until injury-time before substitute Steve Sodje crossed for Brayley to score.
Published Wednesday, September 8, 2004
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