Mark Williams led his Buckhurst Hill side to the First Round Qualifying of the Emirates FA Cup for just the second time in the club’s history following a 90+3’ minute winner from Callum Maltese.

The game didn’t see The Stags have the most promising of starts as after just four minutes, they were behind, with Lawrie Marash putting the hosts in front after he fired the ball into the net from close range.

Following the goal, Hill started to grow into the game more and more and despite the hosts’ going close to a second just ten minutes after their first, The Stags weren’t fazed by the challenge and registered their first shot of the game just before twenty minutes when Max Gnandi nearly put The Stags in front if it wasn’t for a last ditch tackle in front of goal to block the chance and put it out for a corner.

From the resulting corner, The Stags went even closer to scoring when a header from Suley Zuhdu struck the underside of the crossbar and bounced on the line before Biggleswade were able to clear.

Tyler Dolan was the next player to have a shot on goal in the first half and following a deflection, it looked as if the ball was bound for goal but the hosts’ was able to pull off a brilliant save to keep Biggleswade in front.

The last action of the first half ended in controversial fashion when Suley Zudhu was bundled over inside the penalty area but despite the loud claims from the away supporters and bench, the referee waved away the claims, leaving Biggleswade with an advantage at the break.

The second half brought even more exciting FA Cup action and inside a minute of the restart, The Stags were awarded a penalty when for the second a row, Max Gnandi was brought down to win The Stags a spot-kick. It would be Suley Zuhdu to step up for Hill and we would dispatch the penalty, sending the keeper the wrong way to bring us level.

A few minutes and it looked as if The Stags should’ve been awarded another penalty after yet Gnandi was involved in a tussle inside the area and looked to be clearly thrown to the ground by a Biggleswade defender but the referee would wave the claims away and not for the first time today.

Following a few changes, Hill started to look by far the more dominant side in the second half and it would be the impact of the two wingers that would be crucial to the outcome of the game. Substitute Arthur Massingham would create the next chance of the game when he teed up Tyler Dolan for a chance but following a deflection, Dolan’s effort was saved somehow by the hosts’ keeper.

Hill kept pushing and with five remaining, Harvey Brown decided it was his time to go for goal and a wild effort from range from The Stags defender needed to be tipped over the bar for a corner with Biggleswade just about holding on.

The winner finally came for The Stags in added time when substitute Callum Maltese netted a free kick from range to send Buckhurst Hill through to the First Round Qualifying of the Emirates FA Cup for just the second time in the club’s history and knock out a team pushing for Step 3 last season!