Diss Town 2 Basildon United 3

A tight match seemed destined for extra-time until a Diss error in the last action of the game helped Essex Senior League Basildon United progress to the next round.

The visitors started strongly and took the lead after just six minutes when a deep cross was headed in from eight yards out by Paul Shaves. Diss were using the space given to Callum Olpin to good effect and in the 12th minute Jason Armes and Danny Self linked up to set up Olpin, who saw his shot finger-tipped away by Grant Haywood.

Diss got back on level terms in the 21st minute when Kyle Downes was fouled in the area and Armes stepped forward to find the corner of the net.

The hosts went ahead with a goal of real quality in the 27th minute. Sam Page chased the ball towards the right hand corner flag and played it back 15 yards for Self to take inside and head towards the penalty area.

He laid the ball into the path of Downes and took the return before sending his low right foot shot into the corner of the net from nine yards.

Matt Powley was forced to make a smart save three minutes later to keep out a Brad Warner 25-yard shot but Basildon equalised in the 40th minute when Lindisipho Mtyanda hit a 20-yard shot which deflected off Ben Lewis and Jason Cole, leaving Powley with no chance.

Diss had the better of the second half attacking efforts. Armes curled a free-kick on to the bar in the 51st minute and Page could only divert the loose ball into the arms of the goalkeeper from close range. Armes was having a great game and he did well on the left on the hour mark to create an opening for Olpin who was denied at point blank range as Haywood threw himself at the ball.

The game had moved into the sixth minute of added time, with the good-sized crowd now ready for extra-time, when Basildon played a long ball down the middle.

Hunter chased it and Powley came out of his area to attempt to head clear. But the ball moved to his right and substitute Fayid Nyanja did very well to squeeze the ball in from an acute angle as Appleton raced back to attempt to block. There was only time for Diss to kick off before the final whistle sounded.

Diss: Matt Powley, Jason Cole, Dale Barrett, Joe Manning, Ben Lewis, Luke Appleton, Jason Armes, Danny Self, Kyle Downes, Sam Page, Callum Olpin. Subs: Jamie George, Chris Bartram, Chris Holmes (Page 66 mins), Sam Wenham, Chris Bird.

Attendance: 122.

Diss are at home to Halstead in the Thurlow Nunn First Division Knock-out Cup on Saturday (3pm).