Moneyfields 1 Petersfield Town 2: Petersfield Town produced a heroic performance to win only the third FA Cup game in their history at Wessex Premier Division side Moneyfields on Saturday.

The Rams were reduced to ten men after just 20 minutes when Howard Neighbour was somewhat harshly given a straight red card for a high challenge on what was his debut for the club.

But his team mates dug in and never stopped working – even when their Portsmouth hosts equalised at the beginning of the second half – and they never stopped trying to play football and this ultimately helped them to get the victory they deserved.

Petersfield are now in the first qualifying round stage for the first time in their history since they became known as Town, and they now have a home tie against Weymouth on September 12.

Petersfield got off to a perfect start on five minutes when captain Ryan Woodford fired them in front. A free kick from the left was flicked on into his path and he had time to steady himself and fire a low shot past keeper Gary Streeter and into the net.

Five minutes later and they went close to doubling their advantage. Lewis Hyde flicked on a corner on the right to the far post where Jamie Ford was left unmarked. He shot low on goal but Streeter gathered the ball well at his near post.

Then came the turning point in the game. With a full complement of players Petersfield looked like they would have won this cup tie by two or three goals but losing a striker so early on made for a more even contest.

Neighbour went for a ball that was at head height and there was a coming together with an opponent as he went for the ball. There was no intent or malice in the challenge but the referee saw it differently and showed the debutant a straight red card.

The Rams reorganised but Moneyfields used their numerical advantage to stretch the visitors and try to create some openings.

On 32 minutes Petersfield keeper Gavin Smith made a mess of trying to punch a corner clear and it fell into the path of Toby McCauley but he lashed his shot over the crossbar. Three minutes later the home side played the ball forward to Steve Hutchings on the left hand side of the penalty area. He drew Smith off his line and then rolled his shot towards goal but his effort just went past the far post.

The Rams continued to be a threat on the break and Jason Silver used his pace to get clear down the right. His low cross across the face of goal was hacked clear back to him on the edge of the box and his shot took a slight deflection to take it over the crossbar.

Four minutes before half time Petersfield broke down the left wing where Joe Briggs got in behind the home defence. He pulled the ball back to Alek Przespoleswski who unleashed a shot which was heading towards goal before a defender managed to charge it down and the deflection took it over the crossbar.

Moneyfields started the second half strongly and they got their equaliser just two minutes after the restart. A long ball into the penalty area from the left saw substitute Tom McInnes unmarked at the far post and he headed the ball back across goal and into the net.

Petersfield continued to play positively by passing through the midfield and this was creating more openings than the home side’s more direct approach.

On 54 minutes Hyde’s through ball put Silver racing clear. He took the ball up to the edge of the box and unleashed a shot which beat Streeter but hit the post and was cleared to safety.

Three minutes later a cross-field pass put Briggs clear on the left and he cut inside and saw his deflected shot beat Streeter but it went just wide of the target.

On 70 minutes the Rams caught Moneyfields dwelling on the ball too long in the middle of their own half and first Woodford and then Przespoleswski took the ball forward. The midfielder’s run was stopped initially but he took the ball on again and tried to curl a shot in from the edge of the penalty area but it dropped just over the crossbar.

The double substitution of bringing Joe Richardson and Michael Dixon on proved to be pivotal to the course of the game as within three minutes of coming on Dixon knocked home the winner.

On 74 minutes, a corner from the right was partially cleared but it was given back to Briggs who delivered a low cross to the near post. Dixon beat his marker to the ball and knocked the ball home past Streeter from two yards out.

Moneyfields had their chances to equalise. The best came with ten minutes remaining when after a series of free kicks around the edge of the Petersfield penalty area, one of them was headed back across goal to where Tayler Giddings was unmarked but he put his header well over the top.

McInnes then had a chance to score again from close to where he netted his first goal from but this time Smith’s positioning was better and he made a simple save from the header.

Petersfield should have made it 3-1 in the closing minutes when Dixon won the ball and went clear. His first shot was blocked and he flicked the ball forward again where Briggs had a free header on goal but he put his effort wide.

Dixon then received the ball in the left corner of the pitch, cut inside his marker and then beat Streeter with a low shot which thumped off the outside of the post.

Petersfield: Smith, Hyde, Wain, Woodford, Sackman, Ford, Green (Richardson), Przespoleswski (Dixon), Neighbour, Briggs, Silver (O Searle). Subs not used: Walker, McEnery, Thompson, Neal.