WESSEX heroes Lymington & New Milton were left with bitter-sweet emotions as a memorable FA Cup run was halted 4-2 at Conference National outfit Woking in their fourth qualifying round replay last night.

"Disappointed, but proud" was coach Dave Taviner's summing up as the valiant Linnets made a fourth qualifying round exit for the second year running.

But unlike last season's tame surrender at Salisbury, they have gone out with their heads held high.

For 60 magical minutes of an absorbing replay, the New Forest part-timers gave Woking the fright of their lives, buoyed by confidence-boosting victories over Chippenham and Merthyr Tydfil in previous rounds.

In the end it was the superior fitness of Glenn Cockerill's full-time professionals that tipped the tie Woking's way along with the mesmerising skills of ex-Millwall forward Alex Tiesse, who scored one goal and made two on his full debut.

Lymington also had man-of-the-match contenders in a performance that earned a standing ovation from a 1,209-strong Kingfield crowd and a generous handshake from ex-Saint Cockerill who got his whole team to applaud them off the pitch.

Classy midfielder Jimmy Anderson shone every bit as bright as Woking's ex-Arsenal star Ian Selley and tenacious 19-year-old left-back Pete Smith showed why AFC Bournemouth are hot on his trail.

After Saturday's battling 1-1 draw at Fawcetts Field, Linnets' game plan was to shut up shop early on and draw the sting out of Woking.

What they didn't expect was to take the lead themselves on 20 minutes when Paddy James's inviting cross found Anderson who guided a looping header over statue-like keeper Shwan Jalal.

Two brilliant Mark Watson saves from Karl Murray and Tiesse kept the Woking backlash at bay until, inexplicably, Lymington's discipline deserted them. Skipper Jimmy Sheppard was yellow-carded for a crude tackle on Selley and Kevin Reacord followed him into the book for dissent.

Concentration went out the window and Woking's fit-again striker Justin Richards cashed in with a 36th-minute equaliser after some fancy footwork from Tiesse.

Linnets, perhaps, had only themselves to blame, but they didn't deserve the events of stoppage time when Tiesse went down under Paul Morris's challenge and Selley nosed Woking ahead from the spot.

One questionnable penalty was cancelled by another on 51 minutes as the Linnets hauled themselves back into the tie. This time Nade was penalised for bringing down Smith and Ben Thomson matched Selley's clinical finish.

Suddenly the dream of playing Notts County away was looking more like reality and Portsmouth fan Taviner admitted: "Your mind starts thinking about booking a hotel and asking Harry (Redknapp) to recommend a training ground!"

But those thoughts were shattered by a 60th-minute wonder goal from Tiesse, who danced his way past three defenders before rifling low into the far corner.

Linnets threw on the fresh legs of Darren Crook, Trefor Smith and Saturday's match saver Kevin James, but it was Woking who emerged stronger in the closing stages and they finished the job on 72 minutes when Murray's long-range drive squirmed under Watson.

"Woking's fitness level told in the end," admitted Linnets boss Ian Robinson. "I've no complaints about the result because they're a class outfit, but I feel the penalty awarded against us was the turning point. It was difficult to accept after playing so well in the first half.

"We're bound to say 'what if?' but I can't knock my team for what they did tonight and for the sequence that led up to it. Saturday's was our 12th game unbeaten and we've come to a Conference side tonight and haven't let ourselves down at all. I don't think we could have given any more."

Assistant manager Richie Phippard agreed: "If you'd said before the match we'd be holding them 2-2 up to 60 minutes, they'd have carted you off to the funny farm! What pleased me most is that we kept doing the right thing to the very end and that's credit to Ian and Tavvy."

Woking: Shwan Jalal, Karl Murray, Neil Smith, John Boardman, Gary MacDonald, Ian Selley, Justin Richards, Steve Ferguson (Chris Sharpling, 84), Luke Oliver, Raphael Nade (Michael Johnson, 63), Alex Tiesse (Amos Foyewa, 81). Subs: (not used) Scott Canham, Adriano Basso.

Lymington & NM: Mark Watson, Darren Curtis, Peter Smith, Paul Towler, Paul Morris (Trefor Smith, 65), Jimmy Sheppard, Sam Carter, Kevin Reacord, Patrick James (Kevin James, 65), Jimmy Anderson, Ben Thomson (Darren Crook, 65). Subs: (not used) Michael Jackson, Mark Clothier.