Hastings crash out of FA Cup

The only goal of the game came on 30 minutes. Andy Stanhope got away down the right and his cross was met by Jimmy Elford whose clearing header fell to a totally unmarked Ian Dunn on the edge of the box. With no challenge in sight, Dunn waited for the ball to drop and connected with a thumping volley which flew past Danny Knowles and into the top corner of the net.

At the other end, the lively Carl Rook saw his delicate lob clip the angle of the Spalding goal after only eight minutes and then blazed over from close range during a goalmouth scramble.

The Tulips also hit the woodwork not long after as Knowles tried and failed to come for a cross and during the melee that followed the ball crashed against the underside of the crossbar and bounced out.

Before the interval Steve Hafner had two glorious chances to equalise but was denied by goalkeeper Ian Pledger who managed to get his ample frame in the way of each effort. The first was a well-struck shot beaten out and the second a diving header which seemed to hit Pledger as he dived the wrong way.

Hastings did put the ball in the net but Rook's header was ruled offside.

The closest the visitors came to scoring in the second half was from a free kick which was headed back across goal but Richard Bolton was unable to make a proper connection.

As the clocked ticked down Lovell stuck with his starting XI and pushed left back Russell Eldridge further forward, but to no avail as Spalding held out without too many scares. In fact, they went close to doubling their margin of victory late on but Knowles pulled off a spectacular tip over to deny Stanhope.