Steven King saluted his goalscoring hero after Whitehawk grabbed a dramatic equaliser on the biggest day in the club’s history.

Substitute Jordan Rose levelled in the fifth minute of stoppage time as Hawks drew 1-1 at League Two Dagenham and Redbridge in the second round of the FA Cup.

They will now be in the hat for tonight’s third round draw ahead of the replay at the Enclosed Ground on Tuesday December 15, subject to television.

The part-timers appeared to be heading out of the competition until Rose headed home Sam Deering’s cross.

King gave the 26-year-old former Stockport centre-back a chance to resurrect his career last season after 18 months out of the game with a serious injury.

Rose was thrown up front along with fellow centre-back Juan Cruz Gotta – also a substitute – as Hawks pressed for an equaliser.

King said: “We knew we could throw Jordan up front, because he has scored a few goals for us this season. He was a pro but was out of the game for a long time due to an injury.

“I got him and nurtured him. He wants everything now but he is feeling his way back into things.

The Argus: Dagenham and Redbridge v Whitehawk picture gallery

“I am made up for him because he is a lovely kid. If anyone deserved to score the goal he did.”

King insists Hawks were fully deserving of their draw in front of a vociferous and colourful away following of 536.

While they bossed the second half, they were struggling to find the goal their possession deserved.

But King gambled by pushing defenders forward and his ambition was rewarded.

He said: “We thoroughly deserved it. In the last five minutes we had to go for it, which meant we left ourselves open at the back.

“We went three at the back, then two at the back and we threw everything up top to try to get the equaliser. We peppered their goal and thoroughly deserved it.

“We will make the replay a memorable night, hopefully we can get two or 3,000 people there and get the whole of Sussex to come out and support us.”

King, though, was unhappy with referee Lee Swabey for disallowing a first-half strike from Arnaud Mendy after team-mate Jake Robinson was adjudged offside.

That came at a time when Hawks were feeling their way back into the game after conceding an early goal.

King said: “Our goal was a goal, it  wasn’t offside at all. We are a non-league club into a big FA Cup occasion. That means everything to the club and I am disappointed with that decision because we should have gone in 1-1 at half-time.

“It could be worth a lot of money to the club and for the progression of players as well.”