Lymington & New Milton may have fielded an ageing back four with a combined age of 134 but, as player-manager Graham Kemp rightly pointed out: "There's many a good tune played on an old fiddle!"

At 37, defender Kemp is one of the senior statesmen of the Jewson Wessex League side, but he was inspirational as the Linnets outlasted and ultimately outgunned the highly-tuned, headline-making students of Team Bath, who next Saturday host Mansfield Town in the first round of the FA Cup.

The timing of Leigh Phillips' winner with less than four minutes of extra-time remaining was a tribute to the stamina and resilience of the feisty Foresters, who fought back from two goals down for a momentous 3-2 FA Vase second round victory at Bath University's sports training village.

Under the guidance of ex-Saints midfielder and head coach Paul Tisdale, Team Bath's youngsters - largely plucked from Football League backgrounds - train daily, concentrating on technical improvements, conditional maintenance and strength and power training.

Yet it all counted for nothing against a Linnets side who matched them every inch of the way for fitness -and finally outdid them in the character department.

Kemp's men could easily have crumbled once Italian Giuseppe Sorbara's clinical 26th-minute finish had built on Mike Wisson's fifth-minute opener for Team Bath, but Lymington's response was emphatic.

They were back in it within a minute as Steve Strong cleverly controlled Andy Jones' free-kick on his chest before smashing the ball home.

And, having survived a disallowed goal from Bertrand Cozic on the brink of half-time, they fought back to control the second half.

With almost an hour on the clock, 19-year-old livewire Kevin Gill - arguably the fittest player on the pitch - was fouled just outside the area and galloped off in delight as his free-kick somehow slithered its way through the Bath wall past stunned keeper Ryan Northmore.

Gill, a recent trialist with Chelsea, almost scored again in the first period of extra-time, but his shot bounced off the inside of the post before being scraped off the line.

A Tuesday night replay was looking the likeliest outcome until the predatory Phillips stole the show with a sublime header from Jones' left-wing cross, which he met perfectly from beyond the far post.

It was Phillips' 21st goal of what promises to be another prolific season for the 29-year-old hitman and he revealed: "It was one of my best, especially when you consider the timing of it.

"Andy Jones and I did that numerous times during our days together playing for Poole Town, so I had half an idea where he was going to put it."

In Kemp's book, club coach Steve Gill - dad of Kevin - was another influential figure in the victory.

He said: "We finished the fitter team and we've got Steve's coaching to thank for that.

"He worked us really hard in pre-season and last Tuesday's session was the hardest we'd done since the summer.

"Kevin's been training with his dad since about the age of six so he knows the routines off by heart. I thought he was outstanding today. His pace unsettles defences and Team Bath couldn't live with it."

There is no shortage of hard work going on behind the scenes at Lymington either - so much so that they have already lodged their application for Dr Martens League football.

Kemp acknowledged: "A lot of people put a lot of effort into this club and days like this make it all worthwhile."

Team Bath's manager Ged Roddy, who once played for Lymington's JWL title rivals Eastleigh, said: "We had enough chances to have won it, but we squandered them.

"But Lymington stuck at it and scored three good goals. They deserve to be in the next round."