Jimmy Quinn hailed his Lewes cup heroes after a Sam Francis hat-trick inspired them to a thrilling victory over Tow Law Town.

The Rooks were down to the bare bones for this FA Carlsberg Vase fifth round clash with nine players missing and another failing to turn up on the day.

There were four players cup-tied, three injured, one ill and another on holiday.

Andy Johnson had to be recalled from a loan spell at St Leonards to take his place in midfield while Reece Head played with a foot that was so badly bruised he could not put a shoe on it just hours before kick off.

The situation was so bad there were three untried teenagers on the bench alongside Peter Brackley, who has not played since September because of a broken wrist and was not expected to play again this season.

Under those circumstances, most people would have expected Lewes to make a dignified exit against a side which reached the final of this competition four years ago.

But Quinn's team produced a courageous performance, combining steely grit with positive passing on a difficult surface to convincingly beat a rough and tough Tow Law side who were forced to play for an hour with ten men.

A buoyant Quinn said: "I thought Tow Law were poor, capable of playing some good football but more interested in fighting. At this stage of a national competition you expect a bit better than that but obviously I am pleased with the win.

"The boys did ever so well, they all battled hard. We played a formation slightly different to normal to suit the players we had available. They all worked hard and that is how it works. If players put the effort in, you know you have got a chance.

"At times we passed it about well, cut them open and with a bit more care in the final third we would have had more goals. All credit to the players, they have dug out a result that I thought we would struggle to get."

It has been an excellent season for the Rooks. They reached the first round proper of the FA Cup, are top of Ryman League division two and are now into the Vase quarter-finals.

Quinn said: "This is excellent. Everybody's dream is to win it, particularly in Sussex where nobody has managed to do that. I think if we had been playing a better side we might have struggled with the position we were in injury-wise.

"It would mean loads to progress even further. Now is the exciting stage. In the quarter finals it gets exciting with probably a lot of publicity for the eight teams left in and it is another great day for the club.

"What we want is a home draw. I do think there were a few poor teams left in it at this (fifth round) stage. I don't expect there to be any poor teams left in it at the next stage."

Francis gave Lewes the perfect start with a second-minute goal. Justin Harris, a pillar of strength in midfield throughout, made a block tackle 20 yards from goal which sent the ball spinning high into the air.

"As it dropped, Francis took it under control and side-stepped goalkeeper Barry Poskett before firing past a defender on the line.

The game had a real edge to it and it exploded into life on 30 minutes when Tow Law defender Michael Vasey was red-carded for raising an arm to Lee Newman, who was booked for his part in the fracas.

On 43 minutes the game was held up when someone threw a huge nail on to the pitch.

When it restarted, Lewes seemed to have the minds on other things as Mark Eccles whipped in a free-kick which Peter Maughan headed past Ross Standen at his near post.

Stoppage time, nine minutes of it, proved to be the turning point of the match. First, Tow Law's Stephen Walker saw a header come back off the bar with Standen beaten and then Lewes regained the lead when Francis headed home an Artur Correia cross.

It was 3-1 on 66 minutes when Poskett spilled a Newman cross, allowing Andy Johnson to poke the ball home from close range and Francis wrapped up victory by completing his hat-trick in injury time.

Francis said: "As soon as I got the first goal I felt we were on top. They got a goal back and then we got a goal straight back after that. It does help if you can get a goal straight off.

"Obviously, when they had a man sent off, it was a lot better for us because we could get on top and get down the wings.

"The first goal is always the best one but the hat-trick, well it's nice to get that.

"The Stoke FA Cup run was brilliant but this is now the most important thing. I have never got to the last eight and I am just hoping we can get to the final."

Fellow goalscorer Johnson added: "Lee Newman hit it across goal, the keeper made a hash of it and I managed to break the net with a two-yard screamer. It was a brilliant performance. There wasn't much football played out there but we managed to grind out a result. It was a good win.

"It means everything to me as I am a local lad, especially as I was playing in front of all my friends and family. We had another good crowd here and it was great."