Hornchurch booked their place in the third qualifying round of the FA Cup with victory over East Grinstead at Bridge Avenue.
Second-half goals from George Purcell and Sean Marks saw Urchins progress on a wet afternoon, as the visiting Wasps finished with 10 men.
The home side had their first sight of goal on a cold and wet day after five minutes when Nathan Livings saw a free-kick nodded down by Sean Marks and birthday boy Jordan Clark had a shot deflected behind.
Gambian-born visiting keeper Sheikh Ceesay then came out of his goal to meet a long pass from Jay Porter, but missed his kick, and was fortunate to see a covering defender play the ball off Brad Warner and behind.
East Grinstead started to come into the game more, though, and a short corner routine saw Ryan Johnson play a dangerous low ball into the box, where George Landais could not make enough contact.
Callum Chafer came out of his box to clear from the lively Jordy Mongoy as he looked to latch on to Orlando Smith’s through ball, before the visitors had claims for a penalty ignored when Johnson flicked Michael Wilson’s free-kick on and was convinced the ball hit a Hornchurch hand.
Urchins rallied, with Marks flicking on a pass for Warner to cut inside onto his right foot but scuff a shot at Ceesay.
George Purcell then latched on to a loose ball and flashed a half-volley wide from 25 yards, before Daggers loanee Mongoy played a one-two with Smith and sent a weak left-footed shot at Chafer.
Half-chances continued to come, with Purcell seeing a shot on the turn from Jay Porter’s throw-in squirm past the far post before Lewwis Spence saw a well-struck effort fielded at the second attempt by Ceesay.
East Grinstead’s Leo Mazzone had a low shot from Ollie Boulding’s cross saved by Chafer on 32 minutes before Urchins went within a whisker of breaking the deadlock as Marks flicked on Porter’s pass and Purcell popped up on the right side of the box and saw his right-footed shot cleared off the line by Wasps captain Callum Emptage.
After a brief lull, Spence sent a rising drive over from about 25 yards four minutes before Livings saw a free-kick skim off Marks at the far post and Ceesay smothered.
The second half was barely a minute old, though, when the home side got their noses in front as Alex Bentley’s throw-in from the right found Purcell in the box and he worked space before sending a low shot into the bottom corner for his 133rd goal for the club.
But Hornchurch’s joy was shortlived as the visitors levelled with a low, curling shot from Landais just five minutes later.
Mongoy got in behind Bentley on the left on 55 minutes, but Chafer was quickly off his line to block with his legs, before Urchins regained the lead from another throw-in on the right, as the ball found Purcell on the far side of the box and he sent it back into the six-yard box, where Marks managed to force it in off the post.
The visitors were incensed, feeling the throw-in should have gone their way after Warner appeared to have the last contact, albeit while being fouled.
But they almost conceded a third on 62 minutes when Bentley sent another throw-in towards the near post and the ball dropped for Marks, who saw his effort tipped over by Ceesay.
And good work on the left by Tobi Coker created more confusion in the East Grinstead defence, before Spence saw a backheeled attempt cleared off the line from behind Ceesay.
Coker whipped a right-wing cross onto the roof of the net with around 10 minutes remaining, before Livings was replaced by Jamie Hursit for the closing stages.
And Urchins had Chafer to thank for a diving save which kept out Jack Conway’s effort from the right corner of the box, after Porter’s attempted clearance had rebounded off Purcell.
The visitors were reduced to 10 men moments later, though, when Johnson conceded a free-kick by climbing on Marks, then appeared to catch the Hornchurch striker, with referee Michael Robertson-Tant showing the red card after consulting his linesman.
And substitute Nana Boakye-Yiadom could have scored a third with his first touch but headed wide from Coker’s left-wing cross as normal time drew to a close.
Not that it mattered as Urchins ensured their name would be in the hat for Monday’s draw, while also banking another £9,000 in prize money.
Hornchurch: Chafer, Bentley, Porter, Clark, Cooper, Warner (Boakye-Yiadom 88), Livings (Hursit 80), Spence, Marks (McKenzie 85), Purcell, Coker.
Unused subs: Fairweather-Johnson, Hogan, Saunders, Collis.
Attendance: 227.
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