Despite being drawn away for this RUR Cup tie, the work being conducted on Steyning's ground meant that the Magpies were technically the visitors to Plaistow Road on this mild September evening.
Following Saturday's victory, Mark Beard took the opportunity to rotate the squad a bit with Tom Atkinson, Mark Cave, Zach Haulkham and Lewis Scally coming into the starting line-up, along with debutant Yassin Raman, thereby giving a rest to Harry Bachelor, Joel Colbran, Toby House, Jay Lovett and Byron Napper.
It was, however, Steyning that looked like the home side in the early exchanges as they punished defensive lapses from the Magpies. Firstly Ollie Hartley got in behind Atkinson in the 8th minute and had the presence of mind to square to Lewis Levoi who duly dispatched the opportunity high past Harrison Hilfiker to open the scoring. And it wasn't long before that lead was doubled when 6 minutes later Eddie French miscontrolled a long clearance and Levoi latched on to the loose ball and calmly lobbed Hilfiker to put the visitors into an enviable position.
It took some time before the Magpies recovered from this hefty, early set-back as it wasn't until the 26th minute that they troubled the Steyning goal when Sam Beard had a 25 yard drive pushed away by Ben Rose, but the ball was recycled and Clyde Jacques' (above centre) deep cross was met by Cave at the back post but the 'keeper saved the effort again. The resulting corner from Rhyan Ramsey was glanced on by French but just evaded the far post. 3 minutes later Cave was in the action again when his fierce ball in was spilled by Rose but the waiting Raman could only turn the rebound over the bar.
In the 38th minute Raman looked to make amends when he headed Haulkham's deep ball back across the penalty area to Cave but his hooked effort didn't trouble the 'keeper. The 'visitors' were firmly in the game now and neat inter-play between Haulkham and Raman resulted in an excellent cross by the latter but it just evaded Cave and the chance went by. The Magpies did seize a lifeline in the final minute of the first half though. Jacques was fouled on the right and from the resulting free kick Beard produced a pin-point in-swinging ball that Jacques stooped low to head into the bottom corner.
Keen to maintain the momentum, the Magpies kept their foot down at the start of the second half. Atkinson delivered a ball into the box where Cave provided a knock-down to Ramsey who cut inside and appeared to be brought down, but the penalty claims were waved away by the adamant referee. Haulkham quickly followed up on the loose ball but his shot lacked venom and was comfortably fielded by Rose.
Raman and Cave were replaced by Napper and House in the 55th minute and it was latter who linked up with Ramsey just 3 minutes later with their fashioned cross deflected wide for a corner before Beard could reach it at the far post. The corner was partly cleared to Napper who connected well on the half volley but his effort flew wide as the equaliser was proving to be elusive despite the dominance of the play.
On the hour, parity was restored. Napper lifted the ball into Ramsey and when his shot was well blocked, the former Crawley Town player was first to react as he rose to guide a header over the 'keeper and into the far corner. Keen to avoid extra time, the visitors went all out for the win. In the 63rd minute House got away and squared the ball to Michael Wood, but his shot was parried away and just a minute later Wood benefitted from more inter-play with House but this time his shot was comfortably held. Only 4 minutes later it was House's turn to try is luck at goal, but again Rose was equal to it, pushing the effort to safety.
The 'hosts' then served two reminders in quick succession that their threat could not be ignored. After Ramsey lost the ball in the 70th minute a quick break gave Levoi a chance for his hat-trick Hilfiker came out to meet him and force the play out for a corner, from which Hartley had a thumping header fly just wide.
Haulkham soon had a shot skew wide of the far post and Ramsey was presented with an opportunity late on by final substitute Bachelor to win it, but he shot wide and so the tie went to extra time.
The comeback was completed just 5 minutes into the extra period when Ramsey created some space on the right and delivered an excellent ball in behind the covering back-line, enabling Beard to arrive at the far post and strike a well-controlled, right-footed half volley from 15 yards to give the Magpies the lead for the first time.
Jacques and House both had opportunities to kill the game off in the remainder of the first period if extra time, the latter of which appeared to be easier to score than miss as Beard's ball in presented the young striker with an open goal that couldn't be taken advantage of.
Beard himself had a chance early on the second period to make it four, but his drive was well over and House was denied the opportunity to make amends for his earlier miss when his well-struck effort was deflected wide. Wood seized on a loose pass with 3 minutes to go, but he could only shoot tamely straight at the 'keeper. As chances continued to be spurned the spectre of a late Steyning equaliser grew and in the 118th minute it looked like it would come when Chad Milner delivered a ball to the back post where Russ Wadey was waiting but he somehow couldn't connect and the ball went out for a goal kick.
In the final minute Craig Knowles let fly from 25 yards and with its slight deflection it looked goal-bound, but Hilfiker did exceptionally well to adjust and push the ball away and with it secure the Magpies' passage into the next round where they will travel to Saltdean United. Team: Atkinson, S Beard, Cave (House 55), French, Haulkham (Bachelor 80), Hilfiker, Jacques, Raman (Napper 55), Ramsey, Scally & Wood Subs unused: Camp & Colbran