Southern Counties East League team Erith Town entertained Hellenic League club Windsor in the F.A. Vase second round in the knowledge that victory would equal the best run in their history.
Sadly, it was not to be as the visitors claimed the spoils with two goals assisted by veteran striker Barry Hayles.
Andres Tobon had the first chance of the game but sent a curler high and wide for the Dockers.
After that, Windsor enjoyed the better of the half with the wind behind them.
Paul Coyne was twice off target from long distance, first firing over and then shooting wide.
Adam Molloy made an easy save from a header by Andrew Ingram before having to be alert and come out to save with his legs when Jack Denton sent Nadir Shafi clear.
Ramel Sutherland crossed but Coyne headed over at the far post, then Sutherland sliced an ambitious effort well wide.
Coyne then tried a difficult cross field ball with the outside of his boot and appeared to twist his knee in so doing. After lengthy treatment he had to depart to be replaced by Brad Pearce.
Having soaked up the pressure, Erith had a chance when Luke Brookes-Smith headed a cross as far as Steadman Callender whose volley was tipped over brilliantly by a diving Hugo Sobre.
Tobon then created havoc in the penalty area but was unable to get a shot away as the hosts finished the half strongly.
Immediately after the break Callender came close again but his shot on the spin flashed just the wrong side of the post, then Ramaden fired well over.
Slightly against the run of the second half play, Windsor went ahead. Hayles shot and a deflection caused the ball to balloon up. Shafi was first to react and ran across Molloy to chest into the net.
Four minutes later, Erith were level when Sid Warden’s deep corner found Dan Palfrey free at the far post and he nodded home gleefully.
Renewed confidence surged through the team and the Dockers had a series of goal attempts. Callender fired just over before James Day was unable to keep his header down. Warden had a shot saved then Palfrey had a free kick deflected wide.
But Windsor re-took the lead in the 69th minute and that was certainly against the run of play. Ashley Smith’s long throw was brought down by Hayles and as he turned, Jack Denton took control and fired home.
As the game moved into the latter stages, Sobre made a wonder save from Myles Keizer-Burrows.
There was one late chance for Palfrey but his free kick flew wide.
Despite having more goal attempts on and off target, and ten corners to Windsor’s none, Erith’s run came to an end. However, nothing should detract from their great run in the competition.
Erith Town: Molloy, Keizer-Burrows, Palfrey, Day, Bilal, Bray, Callender, Warden, Gannon, Ramadan, Tobon.
Subs not used: Scotter, Proni, Briman, Clarke, Hooper.
Windsor: Sobre, Sutherland, Smith, Brookes-Smith, Ingram, Cannon, Gould, Coyne (Pearce 36), Shafi, Hayles, Denton.
Subs not used: Bowles, Roth, Smyth, Poole.
Erith Town:
Goalscorers: Palfrey (55)
Yellow cards: Ramaden, Bilal, Keizer-Burrows
Red cards: None
Windsor:
Goalscorers: Shafi (51), Denton (69)
Yellow cards: Brookes-Smith, Ingram
Red cards: None
Referee: D. Proctor
Assistants: M. Jenkins and T. Woods
Attendance: 97
Erith star player: Sid Warden