PROOF that football can be such a cruel game at times was demonstrated in this classic cup tie at the Amlin Stadium on Saturday.
For the Trawlerboys, playing two levels below the Iron, deserved a replay.
At times they played the better football, created more chances and gave the Iron a big fright with even home manager Alan Devonshire admitting they were fortunate to go through.
"We didn't play that well but we won and we're now at home to Tranmere in the next round and that's all that counts," he declared. "We went two up early on, took our foot off the pedal, allowed them back in the game and nearly paid for it.
"Our defence gave two abysmal goals away but even then in the second half we had enough clear-cut chances to have wrapped the game up when we were 3-1 in the lead.
"Full credit to Lowestoft they are a good side and they made us work hard all the game."
It was a typical full-blooded cup tie with bookings, a sending off, missed penalty, goal line clearances and chances at either end in an entertaining game.
The Trawlermen's supporters felt aggrieved when on 25 minutes their striker Jack Defty was shown a straight red card for showing his studs and going through full-back Ryan Peters.
But referee Daniel Cook was spot on with his decision because it was a terrible tackle from the visiting striker.
Despite then playing three-quarters of the game with 10 men the visitors were still the better side for long periods with the Iron defence at sixes and sevens at times and really playing badly.
It had started well enough for the home side when Sean Marks fired home a close range shot on three minutes after Bradley Quinton had persisted down to the right side byline before swinging the ball across to the striker.
On 15 minutes they doubled their lead when Marks hassled his way down and into the right side of the area before toeing the ball home inside the near post.
Then came the sending off which somehow seem to galvanise the visitors and on 30 minutes the Iron defence were dreadful in not clearing the ball from a right wing free-kick allowing Sam Gaughran the freedom to head the ball home.
Five minutes before the interval they should have been level when Marks was adjudged to have pushed a visiting player in the area as a corner came across and again Mr Cook was spot on in awarding a penalty.
Fortunately for the home fans, keeper Danny Naisbitt guessed right and dived low to his left to save Joe Francis's spot kick.
It was a real let off for the Iron because they were playing well blow par, with the defence dodgy and little being created from midfield.
Five minutes into the second half the Iron went further ahead when good work by Marks, holding off two defenders in the area, allowed him to slip the ball across to the unmarked Pat O'Connor at the far post who slid the ball into the net.
Really the Iron should have pushed on from there and wrapped the game up but Quinton, substitute Luke Daley and James Mulley all wasted chances with poor finishing.
The dogged Trawlermen kept plugging away and 12 minutes from time they pulled another goal back which was basically down to bad defending by Adam Bailey-Dennis and Matt Paine. One of them should have dealt with a sloppy through ball and put it out of the ground.
Instead substitute Michael Frew capitalised on the uncertainty and slipped the ball past the stranded Naisbitt.
It meant a grandstand finish as the visitors pushed forward in the hope of an equaliser but somehow the Iron survived and held on to win a game they made so much hard work of.
"Yes, our defending was comical at times but we held on, we've got another £12,500 in the playing budget kitty and I've already earmarked two players I want to bring in to strengthen us," declared Devonshire.
