Words Alex Birch | Pictures Jonathan Moore

Harborough 0 Altrincham 3 (AET)

Alty set up an Emirates FA Cup First Round tie with Slough Town after eventually wearing down Southern League Premier Central leaders Harborough Town on a crisp night in Leicestershire.

Amidst the backdrop of a raucous crowd at the Beehive Stadium, and playing against 10 men for all but four minutes of this Fourth Qualifying Round replay, the Robins stuck to their task to produce the only outcome that matter - securing passage to the next round.

That challenge of winning the tie at the second attempted appeared to have been made a lot easier on just four minutes when Bees' striker Riley O'Sullivan was shown a straight red card for a challenge of Louie Fallon, who was deputising in goal for the injured Luke Hutchinson.

If anything, the decision galvanised Harborough, who went on to display a huge amount of grit and determination across the evening, only to run out of gas in extra time.

Before then Alty created numerous half-chances and a few excellent ones. Lewis Banks fired over from point-blank range in the first half, and volleyed wide in the second half, while Jimmy Knowles forced home goalie Elliot Taylor into a great low save.

Knowles wasn't to be denied in extra time, however, as he was in the right place at the right time to tap home his seventh of the season in the 98th minute. 

It was the only time during the evening that the partisan home crowd fell silent, with the atmosphere deadened completely when Sam Read scored his first for Alty just after the extra time break, before Knowles completed the scoring by rounding the keeper and finding the net for his second of the night three minutes later.

Job done for Phil Parkinson's men, who return to Enterprise National League action on Saturday before their FA Cup journey continues in early November.

Harborough E.Taylor; Carline (Changunda, 100'), Putman (J.Taylor, 84'), Dolman (Stephens, 100'), Kennedy (c), Morris, Kelly-Evans, Walsh (Malone, 57'), O'Sullivan, Newton (Rose, 81'), Arlott-John (Hickey, 71'). Subs not used: Burgess.

Altrincham Fallon; Banks, Baines (c) (Barnes, 46'), Osborne, Marriott (Hinchy, 84'), Gale (Reed, 88'), Knowles, Reddin (Waters, 112'), Crawford, Golden, Sassi. Subs not used: Crankshaw, Ward, Beddow.

HT 0-0

Goals None | Knowles 98', 111', Reed 108'

Yellows Kennedy 21', Carline 28', Malone 59', Newton 63' | Knowles 68'

Reds O'Sullivan 3' | None

Referee Niall Smith

Assistants Karl Donaghey & Joseph Larkin

Fourth official Callum Fisk

Attendance 1,813

Next Up

We're back in Enterprise National League action on Saturday when Woking are the visitors to The J.Davidson Stadium (3pm).

General admission tickets are on sale here - but if you're after hospitality we're already SOLD OUT thanks to main match sponsor Wiseup Networks.