After heartache against AFC Fylde a fortnight ago, Kingstonian finally beat a National League team at home in an FA knockout competition.

A contest with Woking in the Trophy may not have been in front of the BBC cameras but the stakes were just as high for Hayden Bird’s men, who now proceed to the second round proper.

“There’s been some magical memories in a fantastic season but that has to the top one,” Bird said after overseeing a sensational 3-1 win.

“For Kingstonian to beat an excellent Woking team who are fourth in the National League is indicative of the progress we are making.

"I asked the players to learn from Fylde and they certainly did. The players were brave to play the way we did today. It was a different way, without the ball, than we do normally and they executed the tactical plan perfectly.

"Physically, we struggled against Fylde but we reacted to that experience.”

It helped the home cause that K’s took an early lead.

Fabio Saraiva’s free-kick took a deflection off Woking Sports Personality of the Year Josh Casey to send the ball past a stranded goalkeeper.

Former K’s manager Alan Dowson had brought the Cards to King George’s Field in fine form and played his strongest XI, hoping to avoid an upset.

They came back into the game just before half-term when Ollie Cook was harshly adjudged to have brought down a Woking attacker. Max Kretzschmar slotted the penalty to make it 1-1.

Following a strong opening to the second period from Woking, who hit the woodwork twice, K’s reasserted themselves, with Kenny Beaney setting the tempo in midfield and Dan Bennett showing his class at No10.

Bennett it was who ultimately sealed the win with two goals in four uproarious minutes. On 66 he swept home a Dan Hector cross and on 70 the talented playmaker curled a direct free-kick into the top corner from 25 yards, before completing a somersault in celebration.

The prospect of a big draw in the next round once against has fans dreaming, twenty years since the club won the competition at Wembley. “It would be great to play someone like Notts County”, said Bird. “Neil Ardley’s a friend and is doing a fantastic job up there.”

K’s face Leatherhead at Fetcham Grove on Tuesday evening before the Tolworth derby against landlords Corinthian-Casuals next Saturday.