Lancing’s remarkable FA Vase adventure came to an end in agonising fashion and joint boss Jason Rutherford said: “We’re gutted”.

The division two side’s fourth round tie at Holbrook Sports looked to be heading for extra-time after Richard Hudson’s free-kick had cancelled out an earlier own goal only for Emeka Ejiofor to head home a winner in the 90th minute.

Rutherford said: “There is nothing worse than getting beaten in the very last minute. You need some luck in these competitions but we didn’t have it on Saturday.

“We were poor in the first half but we were the better side in the second half and at the very least we deserved a replay. It has been an amazing run but it is hard to take when you lose like that.”

Lancing thought they should have had a penalty moments before Holbrook scored their winner when Tom Pickard was sent tumbling in the area but it was not to be their day.

Joint boss Martin Gander added: “There wasn’t much difference between the two sides but I think if it had gone to extra-time we would have won easily as they were dead on their feet.

“It is disappointing as we have lost to a side we should have beaten but we are still top of the league and our priority now is to make sure we get promotion.”

Crawley Down boss Darren Guirey has dismissed his Three Bridges counterpart Paul Faili’s claim that the title is “theirs to lose” as nothing but mind games.

Faili said his side have handed the title to Down “on a plate” after being beaten convincingly in the top of the table clash on Saturday – despite being only halfway through the season.

Down moved to within two points of leaders Bridges with two games in hand after coming from behind to win 5-2 in front of a bumper crowd of 210 at The Haven.

Guirey said: “We absolutely battered them. We outplayed them in every department and should have had seven or eight.

“We can’t compete with the budget they have got. They may have the money but we showed we have the team spirit and money cannot buy that.

“I have to laugh when Paul says they are only playing for fun this season considering the money they are paying out. They have been an established club at this level for as long time while we are still finding our feet so this was a big result for us.

“There is still a long way to go and for them to come out with something like that is a joke. We’ve done well so far but there is no point winning games like this and then losing our focus and dropping points against other teams.”

Tom Lyons gave Bridges the lead on his debut following his move from Down but Tom Burton levelled before the break following good work from Ryan McBride who signed on dual-registration from Whitehawk before the game.

Lee Wood put the hosts ahead after the break but after Simon Wormull had equalised with a well placed free-kick there was only one team in it.

Wes Millis scored twice, the first set-up by a backheel from McBride, before Aaron Watson added the fifth.

Faili said: “Their desire was far greater than ours and they deserved to win. As far as talent goes we were all over them but you cannot win games with just talent, you have got to have passion and desire too.

“They were really good on Saturday and worked hard in every single part of the pitch so I have got to give massive respect to Darren for the way he got his team to play.

“It is theirs to lose now. We have handed it to them on a plate.”

Pagham remain third after Scott Murfin scored both goals in a 2-1 win at Chichester while Peacehaven are fourth after Ashley Rees and Craig Bunch sealed a 2-0 home win over Arundel but both teams have played far more games than the top two.

Rye maintained their challenge as Scott Ramsay bagged a hat-trick in a 4-0 battering of St Francis at The Salts.

United are 14 points adrift of Bridges but have five games in hand and manager Scott Price said: “People don’t seem to be taking much notice of us, which suits us fine, but I think we can still have a say.

“We have a hell of a lot of games to play so it will be very hard but if we play like we did on Saturday we’ve got a chance.”

East Grinstead did manage double figures as Liam Baitup scored five in a 10-2 home win over Shoreham. Rikki Cable bagged a brace while JP Collier, Danny Beszant and Richard Sinden were also on target.

Wasps boss Tony Beckingham said: “It was a bit of a freak result and I felt a bit sorry for Shoreham as there was no way we were eight goals better than them.”

Hassocks required a late goal from Phil Gault to beat bottom side Eastbourne United while Redhill went down 5-2 at home to Hailsham with Peter Cooper netting a hat-trick. Lingfield moved out of the bottom two as they twice came from behind to draw 2-2 at home against Sidley while Crowborough’s poor form continued as they went down 2-1 at home to Ringmer.