Sittingbourne savour 'brilliant' win at Southend
Sittingbourne boss Ryan Maxwell savoured "by far the biggest achievement" of his managerial career as his part-time side beat Southend United to reach the FA Trophy quarter-finals.
The Brickies, who play in Isthmian League South East Division, the eighth tier of English football, won 1-0 at Roots Hall, thanks to an added-time debut goal by new signing Anthony Church.
Maxwell is a former Chelsea youth player, who went on to appear for 27 clubs in four different countries before spells as manager at Walthamstow and Braintree.
"It's brilliant, amazing, incredible - I'm so full of pride in my players," he told BBC Radio Kent.
"My style is certainly very demanding. I believe we can beat anyone as long as you sign the right players and give them the right instructions.
"I wasn't coming here just to take part and be part of their entertainment, that's not my style. If I'm paid to do a job, like I am here, I'm coming here to win."
Sittingbourne came under severe pressure from a Southend side eager to take a step towards Wembley alongside their efforts to reach the National League play-offs.
"We expected that was the way the game was going to go but you have to accept it and not fight it, and not be disheartened by it," said Maxwell.
They are the lowest ranked side left in the competition, with Woking, Spennymoor Town, Oxford City, Aldershot Town, Sutton United, Rochdale and Altrincham also winning ahead of Monday's draw.
Asked about their chances of going all the way, Maxwell added: "One game at a time - but it's certainly closer than it was at three o'clock."
Sittingbourne, who are second in their league, hope to move to a new ground in a two or three years and also have the ambition of progressing up the non-league ladder to National League level.
"The key for us was signing him (Maxwell) for another two and a half years because by then we could be in the new ground and it could be ready for National League - Ryan wants to manage in National League and he could take us there," said chairman Maurice Dunk.
"It would be a fantastic journey. I've never been anywhere where the fans, the players, the management, the directors, the volunteers are all as one. This season has been an absolute joy."
Southend boss Kevin Maher made no attempt to hide his frustration at the result - and the manner of their defeat
"We asked enough questions, put the ball in enough areas and haven't made one of them count," he told BBC Essex Sport.
"It was a good opportunity we felt this year to progress, we know what's at the end of it. We picked a team that should have won that game, with enough experience, knowhow and quality to win the game.
"You've got to put teams to bed when it's 0-0 or something like that can happen."
He added: "It's so disappointing because the opportunity was there. We'll look at one or two (players) and see if they come on the journey with us because we've got to be able to trust them when they get on the pitch."
