A fresh chapter was written in the extraordinary giantkilling exploits of Heybridge Swifts as they booked their place in the FA Trophy’s second round in dramatic fashion at Scraley Road.

Swifts have been no respecters of league placings in this year’s FA Cup and FA Trophy competitions and that was certainly the case again as Jody Brown’s side entertained Hampton and Richmond Borough.

It was a replay after the first meeting between them saw Swifts only pegged back by a last-gasp leveller in a 1-1 draw on Saturday.

However, they kept their advantage this time thanks to a stunning late penalty save by keeper Danny Sambridge as they advanced to face Maidstone in the next round with a 3-2 victory.

Had Swifts sat down before the game and plotted out how they wanted it to start, not even the most optimistic could have penned anything like how things did actually unfurl.

The game was just six minutes old when the wheels started coming off Hampton and Richmond’s wagon.

It began when the visitors had goalkeeper Sam Howes dismissed for a foul that not only reduced their numbers for the rest of the night, but gave Heybridge an early penalty chance.

It was one they took as Luke Callander fired in from the spot to put them in control of the tie, but things were soon to get even better.

With 19 minutes on the clock, it became 2-0 when Lewis Godbold cheekily backheeled the ball into the net to catch Hampton’s replacement keeper unawares and send the home fans into renewed celebrations.

It was a magnificent start, but anyone making travel plans for Maidstone at that point may have been a bit premature as Hampton and Richmond weren’t about to roll over.

They are a Vanarama National League South side – two levels above where Swifts play their league football – and that quality eventually came out.

It took a brilliant save by Sambridge to maintain the hosts’ two-goal lead when Taurean Roberts hit a fierce shot from 25 yards.

It had been on its way into the top corner and in the ensuing scramble, the home defence had to make a last-ditch block and clear the ball off the line.

It was a warning to the hosts on this occasion, but Hampton did find the breakthrough before half-time when Max Kretzschmar fired past Sambridge in the 45th minute.

The visitors then went perilously close to getting an equaliser before the break, but Swifts held on to their advantage for the start of the second period.

It was an advantage that lasted only until the 58th minute as Swifts were pegged back when Sambridge was penalised for a foul and Kretzschmar fired in from the penalty spot to level the tie.

It was certainly a setback for Heybridge, but not one they were prepared to brood over as Godbold fired them back into the lead with just five minutes more on the clock.

It had been a thrilling cup tie already, but there was more drama to come as Hampton were handed another lifeline when they were awarded a second penalty.

This time, though, Sambridge performed heroics with a brilliant save to his right that kept the ball out and Heybridge’s lead intact as the game headed into the closing minutes.

That end period saw Hampton and Richmond pressing for an equaliser, but it was to no avail as they became the latest higher-placed side to fall to Heybridge in cup competitions this year.