Cirencester Town crashed out of the FA Trophy on Saturday in a bruising goalfest with non-league glamour boys Kingstonian.
Ray Baverstock's cup warriors caused their Ryman Premier Division opponents all sorts of problems before falling to an emphatic 6-2 defeat.
Cirencester matched their more fashionable rivals for much of the contest, but the damage was done in a stunning 10-minute spell at the start of the second half, when the K's grabbed four quickfire goals.
In fact, Ciren were slow to start in both halves, and the hosts had the Dr Martens side on the rack in the game's early stages.
Kingstonian carved the visiting defence open at will, and keeper Kevin Scrivens in for the injured Kevin Sawyer had his goal breached within eight minutes.
K's full-back Mark Jones delivered a sublime left -wing cross which was met by an outstretched Ronnie Green, who finished clinically from ten yards.
The Surrey outfit continued to call the tune, with Greg Ball and Green again, going close.
Ciren's only answer was occasional forays from the ever dangerous Dave Gee, and sporadic glimpses of class from striker Dave Godley.
The tie looked to be drifting away from Baverstock and his charges, until a 44th minute set-piece caught the hosts cold.
Godley was upended wide-right, and Adam Mayo's free-kick was headed home by Jimmy Carter a 22nd minute substitute for the injured Nathan Holt.
It was an unlikely equaliser, but Baverstock has assembled a side that are always capable of scoring goals, and Ciren were right back in it if only for the duration of the interval.
Within three minutes of the restart the floodgates opened.
Full-back Billy Mead sparked the glut, when his innocuous 30-yarder was spilled by Scrivens.
Three minutes later, a quickly taken free-kick caught the Ciren rearguard cold, and Ball stooped to head home from close range.
Ball grabbed a second on 54 minutes with a 25-yard screamer, and strike partner Green had Ciren reeling with an equally emphatic strike on 58.
The visitors were visibly stunned, but credit where its due, Ciren did not fold.
Quite the opposite as it happens. Baverstock's brave side regained their composure, and really made a fight of it.
The dangerous Adam Mayo struck a post from distance, before Sean Terry curled in a 69th minute free-kick to give Ciren a glimmer.
Kingstonian keeper Lance Key could not have had many busier spells in his long career.
Former Sheffield Wednesday man Key stood up strong to block Godley, and twice denied sub Bass from close range.
Key also thwarted Mayo with a superb reaction stop.
With the underdogs throwing bodies forward, the busy K's frontline eventually capitalised on the gaping spaces at the back, with Dave Sadler heading home in stoppage time to compound Ciren's misery.
It was certainly a showdown that perfectly represented the allure of the country's leading non-league competition.
Both sides played some fine flowing football, but neither outfit shirked the physical confrontations either. The tackles were flying, and what followed was an epic battle.
Indeed, Baverstock was forced to use all three substitutes earlier than desired, as Nathan Holt, Andy Wollen and Justin Miller were all assisted from the pitch in agony.
"The injuries certainly took their toll," said Baverstock.
"Nathan Holt had been playing well, and losing Andy Wollen was always going to weaken our defence."
The Ciren boss admitted: "I'm obviously disappointed with the result.
"On paper it looks like we've taken a stuffing but that wasn't the case.
"It sounds crazy, but I think we created more clear-cut chances than they did. The difference was they were very clinical with their finishing.
"I think we can take some positives from the game. It was a good experience, and we've learnt a lot.
"Now we need to get back to the league and concentrate on improving our position in the table."
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