Ray Wilkins wasn't flavour of the month in the West Leigh Park boardroom on Saturday evening after handing Havant & Waterlooville a tough Dagenham & Redbridge 'away day' in the FA Cup first round on November 16.
Wilkins, the former England and Chelsea midfielder, and ex-West Ham United stalwart Billy Bonds made the cup draw in front of a live and expectant Sky TV audience.
It was Wilkins who picked Havant's pre-allotted number 71 out of the drum alongside the 14th-placed Conference club.
"I suppose every club like us who's battled through the qualifying rounds and got to the competition proper wants to play a league side," said Havant joint manager Mick Jenkins after the 3-1 victory over Billericay Town on Saturday.
"You want to be playing the likes of Bournemouth, Bristol City or QPR - and get some money in. But we seem destined to miss out.
"Two years ago, we got through (to the first round) and drew Southport. And lost 2-0."
Hampshire's sole non-league representatives won't relish the mid-November trip to Dagenham, who held Charlton Athletic 1-1 at The Valley two seasons ago before being beaten 1-0 by the Premiership club in a third round replay. Then last season Dagenham hammered Exeter City 3-0 in a second round replay before losing 4-1 at home to Ipswich.
Last year's Nationwide Conference runners-up hammered Aldershot 4-0 in their fourth qualifying round tie at the Recreation Ground.
Three goals by Havant in the opening half-hour effectively saw off Billericay Town in a match spoiled by some fussy refereeing.
Bristol's Lee Probert brandished eight yellow cards - six of them to Havant players - before a 74th-minute touchline incident saw Dean Blake and Billericay substitute Dave McDonald sent off.
Hawks' player-manager Liam Daish was ordered from the dugout after firing a verbal protest at the card-happy West Country official.
"It was never a dirty game. I can't recall a vicious tackle from either side during the 90 minutes - and yet there's three sendings off and all those yellow cards," Jenkins groaned.
But it certainly didn't take the gloss off Havant's win - in particular the sparkling first 30 minutes when Billericay's cup hopes disappeared.
"They had only conceded eight goals in 16 Ryman League games all season, so to put three past them so quickly was terrific," Jenkins enthused. "We got plenty of width into our play and our first two goals came from the flanks."
Watching Saints boss Gordon Strachan must have been impressed by Havant's start - Blake and Chris Ferrett creating a seventh-minute move down the left which culminated in Jimmy Taylor heading H&W in front.
Taylor, presented with his 2001/2 season FA non-league international cap before the kick-off, had a hand in all three Havant goals.
Ten minutes later, he headed back a crisp cross from Paul Wood for Warren Houghton to volley Havant's second.
Taylor found himself the centre of attention again in the 29th minute - thumping a Wood-created penalty against the upright before Blake followed up to make it 3-0 from the rebound.
Impressive Hawks 'keeper Aaron Kerr pulled off several fine saves as Billericay tried to salvage the situation.
He was only beaten by Jamie Wallace's neat 67th-minute chip.
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