Lewes could beat this season’s FA Cup winners – in terms of matches played.

Darren Freeman’s side booked a SEVENTH game of this season’s cup run with a 2-1 home win over Kings Langley in a second qualifying round replay last night.

Their third replay success of recent weeks was not quite as tense as the penalty shoot-out against Farnborough last time.

It was certainly harder fought than the 8-1 romp versus Molesey recently.

But a Jonte Smith penalty and James Hammond free-kick set up a trip to Bath in cup fixture No.7.

That’s one more than the, inevitably, Premier League team who win the silverware on May might require to go all the way.

Re-jigged Lewes had to do plenty of defending but also showed glimpses of what they can do with direct, quick work in attack and deserved the win They edged ahead with a 33rd-minute penalty.

Samuel Karl was fouled by goalkeeper Martin Bennett as he latched on to a knock down six yards out.

Karl actually got to the ball first and poked a shot wide but was clattered by Bennett’s follow through and referee James Simpson pointed to the spot.

Smith calmly went left as Bennett headed in the opposite direction.

Kings Langley had their moments of menace in the first period going down the slope.

Steve Ward’s shot forced a good save from Lewis Carey early on.

Dan Darbyshire fired over for Lewes after some neat footwork by Smith just outside the box.

And Karl had a shot blocked by Bennett after he had been neatly played in behind the defence.

Hammond looked to have made life more comfortable for Rooks on 49 minutes when he found the top corner with a free-kick.

But Kings Langley were back in it two minutes later thanks to Callum Adebiyi’s emphatic header from a corner.

That set things up for a lively second half as the tempo – and tempers at times – heated up.

Smith should have done better than shoot at the keeper after brilliant work by ex-Albion youth-teamer Leon Redwood.

The home striker also blasted into the side-netting and the hosts were given a reminder they couldn’t keep missing as Rene Howe hooked a shot narrowly wide at the other end.

Roy Syla saw a 25-yarder deflect over the Lewes bar on 90 minutes before the hosts could breathe a sigh of relief.

Boss Freeman said: “It was a makeshift team tonight. We had eight players out and that was Sam Karl’s debut while the bench was full of 17-year-old boys.

“So they have done magnificent.”

Their cup run goes on. And on.

Lewes: Carey, Redwood, Darbyshire (Medlock 88), Chappell, Hammond, Dome-Bemwin, Smith, Lawson, Karl, Brinkhurst.