Three Bridges got top marks thanks to an excellent bit of homework by manager Sammy Donnelly.

Bridges picked up the £1,000 prize money after beating Diss Town in the second round at the Jubilee Field.

But Donnelly took the plaudits after a scouting mission to Norfolk ultimately won Bridges the game.

He made a 400-mile round trip to watch Diss last week. He knew they had averaged three goals a game, he was aware they were nine points clear at the top of the Eastern Counties League and he knew they had won their last 15 league games.

Donnelly also understood Diss would have tactical nous with former Scotland international Robert Fleck as their manager. But it was Donnelly who won the tactical battle hands down.

For a while things had looked bleak for the home side as their goal came under siege from a potent Diss attack.

The visitors were rewarded on the stroke of half time but it took a penalty by Coren Hardy to break the deadlock after Damian Webber had brought down Leyton Miller.

Donnelly had other ideas, however, and ensured his long trip had not been in vain with his first master stroke five minutes after the break.

He brought on attacking midfielder Gareth Green for defender Scott Langridge and within 15 minutes Bridges were ahead.

On 65 minutes Green glanced in a header from close range after a free kick from Pat Massaro and the same two players linked up again five minutes later for Green to head home his second.

Massaro got the goal he deserved from the penalty spot on 70 minutes after he had been tripped by Diss keeper Nathan Pauling.

It was another Donnelly substitution which sealed the win when Liam Ahearne side-footed home from six yards just five minutes after coming on.

Fittingly, Ahearne raced straight over to the dug-out where Donnelly was swamped by his players who knew the part he had played in the win.

Donnelly said: "I like to prepare properly for every game because I think it is important to know about the opposition and to see where their weaknesses are.

"That's what I did and it paid off. You can call them inspired substitutions or whatever, but I am just part of the team and it was a great effort from everyone."

Three Bridges: Mansfield, Smith, Turner, Webber, Langridge (Green, 50), Alexander, Butcher, Lamont, Hackett (Ahearne, 72), Massaro, Funnell. Subs not used: Hughes, Dunning, Irvine.

Diss Town: Pauling, Miller (Barzey, 83), Fruin, Simpson, Richards, Wright, Gilman (Clements, 72), White, Key, Hardy, Jopling. Subs not used: Cornish, Blois, Cubitt.

Referee: Lee Venamore (Maidstone)

Attendance: 156
Man-of-the-match: Gareth Green.