Jay Saunders hailed the character of his side after Maidstone reached the FA Cup first round with a 2-0 win at Chippenham on Saturday.

Lousy weather, an awful sloping pitch and a team of giants who were unbeaten at home gave the final qualifying round tie all the elements for an upset.

But United stood up admirably to everything their Southern League Premier Division opponents had to offer and made it through to Monday’s draw (BBC2, 7pm) thanks to Jay May’s penalty and a late Bobby-Joe Taylor strike.

Stones boss Saunders said: “It was a horrible, horrible game. The conditions were difficult, they’re a big side and you can see what they’re all about - they really test you.

“It’s a really difficult place to come and full credit to the lads.

“It wasn’t pretty, it was a horrible game to be involved in, a horrible day, but we’ve come here and got the job done.

“That shows a lot of character to be the first team to beat them at home.”

Chippenham - having already lost Conor McCormack to injury with no more substitutes - finished with nine men after Greg Tindle was sent off for bringing down Alex Osborn.

Saunders felt they should already have been two men down after keeper Kent Kaupinnen took out May for United’s second penalty of the tie.

It can only have been the fact May had already got his shot away by the time the keeper fouled him that kept him on the pitch.

He escaped with a booking and this time denied May from the spot.

Saunders, whose team earned £12,500 in prize money, said: “That’s embarrassing. I just can’t understand it. It’s got to be a red card. If we’d been at home I think he would have sent him off but he stayed on and made a good save.”

Callum Driver went off with a dead leg but is expected to be fit for next weekend’s league game at Concord.

Maidstone also anticipate a quick recovery for Alex Flisher, who hurt his neck in training and sat on the bench at Chippenham just to make up the numbers.

Saunders said: “He felt a twinge in his neck and his shoulder, woke up Friday and couldn’t move.

"I told him not to travel but he wanted to be involved so he came along and got some treatment. Hopefully with a week’s rest he’ll be back involved.”