Hastings and Bexhill pulled off one of the best results in the club's history by beating Aylesford 22-20 to progress to the fifth round of the Powergen Junior Vase.

The Sussex One side were the lowest ranked club left in the competition but overcame the odds to beat their London Four South East hosts and book their place in tonight's draw for the next round.

Match secretary Ken Nicholls said: "It must rank as one of the best results the club has achieved for 30 years. Normally we get knocked out of this competition very early so to reach the fifth round is beyond all expectation.

"Most teams left in the competition are at least two divisions above us but we still feel capable of giving someone a good game in the next round."

Hastings feared the worst when their Kent hosts put them under intense pressure early on but disciplined defending meant the home side only had a penalty to show for their dominance. But once Hastings found their feet they never looked back, storming into a 22-3 lead early in the second half.

With 15 minutes gone Paul Sandeman touched down and picked himself up to add the conversion. Then Martin Shepherd crossed the line from a David Sprinks pass and a Sandeman penalty made it 15-3 at half time.

Not until Kit Claughton had scored Hastings' third try which Sandeman converted to make it 22-3 did Aylesford finally show why they are third in their league. They scored three tries and a conversion to pull it back to 22-20 and almost snatched victory when a last minute penalty hit the post.

"We were hanging on at the end but it would have been cruel if we had lost like that," said Nicholls.