But it needed a last-gasp winner from last season's top scorer Brian Cusworth to see off the Leicestershire oufit, who have started strongly in the UniBond League First Division South and must have thought they had earned at minimum a replay.

At least the Reds will not have to face the prospect of an embarassing hat-trick, because the last two FA Cup campaigns had ended at the first hurdle by losing replays at home against teams from lower opposition, and Alfreton also kept up a curious sequence of 2-1 wins over their opponents.

Back in the early 1980s the invincible Shepshed Charterhouse beat Alfreton five times without conceding a goal, but since changing their name to Albion and subsequently Dynamo the Reds have now beaten Shepshed 2-1 on each of their four meetings.

Alfreton were in control before the break, but Shepshed more than pulled their weight in a second-half in which they went perilously close to turning the tie around.

Leo Fortune-West had headed Alfreton into a 15th minute lead after Tom Evans' long clearance bounced through to Paul Clayton, who despite laying on the ground forced the ball back to Kris Bowler – he in turn sent Ben Muirhead to the by-line for the precision cross.

The equaliser came in the 67th minute when Rob Norris curled in a free-kick from the edge of the area, just two minutes after Tony Butler had been forced into a desperate goal-line clearance to deny Marshall.

Three minutes into added time though Cusworth audaciously attempted two overhead kicks within seconds – the first from Josh Law's corner being forced out for a throw-in which fellow sub Danny Mayman quickly took, and from that Cusworth executed the same move again, successfully this time at the far post.

Clayton was presented with a superb chance to seal the game three minutes before half-time when Fortune-West cleverly flicked on Anton Brown's throw, but his header from close range flashed over the bar, then in the 83rd minute Danny Davidson was all legs in front of goal and just could not make a firm contact from a left-wing cross.

The home side went close on 49 minutes when Norris pumped in a cross that Evans misjudged and the in-rushing Saunders failed to make contact with as the ball whistled across the face of goal, then six minutes later Evans was forced to punch away a deep cross from Hanson as Marshall homed in.

Tom Curtis was twice called into the action in the same 74th minute move, first of all blockng a shot from ex-Red Matt Glass before managing to divert Benjamin's follow-up into the safe and somewhat grateful custody of his keeper.

The tie was hotting up after a tepid start and two minutes later Clayton forced keeper Hateley into a fingertip save, with Fortune-West's back-post header from the ensuing corner being turned behind by Fletcher.

Back at the other end though in the 80th minute Shepshed were denied by the crossbar as Saunders launched himself at a free header from Norton's cross, then in the final seconds of the game Norris saw his shot parried by Evans with the loose ball eluding Marshall.

Alfreton: Evans; Marples (Mayman 81), Brown, Butler, McIntosh, Curtis, Muirhead (Davidson 71), Bowler, Clayton (Cusworth 81), Fortune-West, Law. Other sub: Sutciffe.

Attendance: 374

* Alfreton have a home tie against Ilkeston in the third qualifying round of the competition on October 11.