VCD Athletic 1 Tunbridge Wells 1 (EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS)

Vickers’ skipper Martin Driscoll header - his fourth goal of the season - against the run of play - following Stuart Abbott’s right-footed free kick from the left gave the home side the lead after 20 minutes, despite the visitors playing some good football.

However, things could have been different had Dave Hassett’s goal stood three minutes earlier. The ginger haired leading goalscorer was denied his ninth goal of the season when he fired into the bottom right hand corner after latching onto Adrian Hatcher’s through ball, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Another Hatcher pass gave the visitors another chance but former Sevenoaks Town right-sided player Wayne Balmer drove a shot that lacked conviction and rolled to goalkeeper Grant Wallace.

VCD, who look forward to a home game against league leaders Beckenham Town on Saturday, created several good chances either side of the interval.

The impressive Abbott went close with a right-footed 25-yard free kick, which dipped just over John Whitehouse’s crossbar, and James Brown should have done better following a pass from burly striker Richard Dimmock, making a return to the club following his transfer from Ryman League side Cray Wanderers.

VCD, who needed just one point from their last two group matches to qualify for the last eight, went close early in the second half when former Dartford midfielder Mark Horan’s stinging drive took a deflection off the advancing Sam Phillips and flew over the bar.

Dimmock then drove wide but he sent Mark Greatorex on his way down the right flank, and after cutting inside, his cross was met by Alan Owen who fired wide.

Hatcher sent a looping header over the bar following Bradley Mortimer’s corner from the left hand side for the visitors just before the hour mark.

Their second chance of the half came from a long range effort from Hatcher, which he blazed over, after former Tonbridge Angels’ striker Joe Fuller played the ball back to him after his route towards goal was blocked inside the penalty area.

However, the good football they played earlier in the game brought them level with 15 minutes left.

Two substitutes, Sam D’Arcy and Chris Stoate played a key part in the move and Stoate laid the ball off to Phillips to rifle the ball into the roof of the net inside the near post to score his first goal of the season.

VCD, however, went for the kill and unmarked substitute Paul Foley came the closest to scoring the winner but he headed Abbott’s hanging cross wide.

Martin Ford was pleased his side had qualified for the last eight of the competition - with one game spare.

“With the team line-up a bit different from what we’ve been, the emphasis tonight was to give everybody a game,” he said. “Yes, we’ve got a point, which was what we set out to get and we’re delighted to be through to the quarter-finals.”

Looking ahead to league leaders Beckenham Town on Saturday, Ford hopes the muddy pitch at Greenwich Borough’s Harrow Meadow ground will put off their talented visitors, who are used to playing on a bowling green at Eden Park Avenue.

“I just said to the grounds man leave the pitch exactly as it is,” said Ford.