Garry Wilson insisted the referee got it right with the controversial penalty which fired Eastbourne Borough to within one round of League opposition in the FA Cup last night.

Ollie Rowland's spot kick just before the break finally killed off Ryman League division side Met Police.

Rowland's second goal of the night earned Borough a 3-2 replay win at Priory Lane and booked a fourth qualifying round trip to Hellenic League minnows Bishop's Cleeve a week on Saturday.

Met Police were left smarting by the penalty decision but Borough boss Wilson was in no doubt.

He said: "I thought the penalty decision was the correct one although they didn't seem to agree.

"We made hard work of it but we are through and that's all that matters.

"We started off looking fluent and then they got two goals after having done nothing.

"We got the penalty at the right time but even then the lads were a little flat. Ollie did well for the penalty."

Met Police manager Jim Cooper said: "A poor refereeing decision decided the match.

"I had a word with the referee and he told me he was only five yards away from the incident but I believe lmy goalkeeper got a touch on the ball before their guy went over."

Borough will hope it is third time lucky as they bid for their first appearance in the first round proper of the world's most famous knockout cup.

They lost after a replay to Stevenage as Eastbourne Borough and before that, as Langney Sports, they suffered a loss to Worcester.

Skipper Stuart Tuck was restored to the backline last night in place of Matt Piper, who was in a defence torn to ribbons in the opening 15 minutes in the first match at Imber Court on Saturday when Borough went 2-0 and then 3-1 down before salvaging a draw.

Borough broke the deadlock on 15 minutes when Rowland dipped a 30-yarder in off the bar.

Five minutes later Yemi Odubade made it 2-0 when he beat keeper Stuart Mackenzie at the second attempt following a Matt Smart ball.

Borough increased the tempo and the Met Police looked beaten but the visitors levelled with two goals inside 60 seconds from Kevin Cooper nine minutes before the break.

A quick break and cross by Leon Johnson was diverted by Cooper beyond Lee Hook into the Borough goal.

Cooper found the net again as the Borough defence hesitated following a cross by substitute Ian Batten.

But Borough restored their lead a minute before the interval thanks to a Rowland penalty after Mackenzie was adjudged to have brought down Odubade.

Borough adopted a more cautious approach after the interval.

Their defence stiffened up with captain Tuck outstanding and Borough were unlucky not to add to their score as Danny Simmonds went close and Odubade had a late effort disallowed.

Eastbourne Borough: Hook; Baker, Hemsley, Smart, Warner, Tuck, Simmonds, Storey, Ramsay, Odubade, Rowland: Subs: Marney for Odubade (withdrawn 88), Featherstone, Atkin for Storey (withdrawn 70), Williams for Smart (withdrawn 90), Lightwood.

Metropolitan Police: Mackenzie; Harte, Barrowcliff, C. Brown, Davis, Hamsher, P. King, Daly, Hayworth, Cooper, Johnson. Subs: Parma for Hamsher (withdrawn 83), B. Brown, Tarrant, Batten for Barrowcliff (injured 32), B. King.

Refere: Mr R James.

Attendance: 601.

Man-of-the-match: Stuart Tuck.