Harrogate Town traded in the Seadogs of Scarborough for the seagulls of the English Riviera on Saturday and netted £10,000 into the bargain after winning the biggest game in their history 1-0.

Securing passage to the first round proper may not have been a true champagne moment for Harrogate Town manager Neil Aspin, who was seen clutching a bottle of Asti at the final whistle, but he had plenty to smile about after watching his side out-perform, outclass and outplay the full-timers from the east coast.

It was Matalan versus Jacuzzi - a bargain basement clothes store v a by-word for the height of a luxury lifestyle. And that was just the sponsors.

For Scarborough though it was yet another demoralising defeat to further batter their non-existent morale.

The first half, while starting with a deflected Neil Redfearn strike from distance after just 40 seconds, was all about the home side.

Chris Brass fooled the home fans into a cheer when his 25th-minute volley flashed just wide of a post and Marc Smith forced Kevin Nicholson to clear off his line.

Smith and the in-form Gareth Grant - who later came close to doubling the lead when forcing Boro 'keeper Leigh Walker into a stunning save - also had dangerous headers thwarted by good defending as the goal eluded their grasp time and again.

But that all changed seconds after the attendance was announced in the 48th minute - and at least 900 of the 1,591 crowd were sent through the roof.

On-loan York City man Brass silenced the Boro boo-boys with a free-kick from just inside the half-way line and he watched as it dropped perfectly for Marc Smith to nod past Walker.

Within seconds of the restart, Mark Quayle - the man who fired Scarborough into a fourth round megabucks showdown with Chelsea in January 2004 - had a chance to be a hero again. But despite outwitting Brass on the edge of the area, he could not find a way past Chris Ellerker, and his shot was blocked, then gathered up by Michael Price.

The goal sparked a rare phase of endeavour among the low-in-confidence Seadogs with Ian Clark skimming a dangerous shot across the ground towards Price, Ben Rix and Brian Wake both having shots deflected and Wake controversially being ruled offside when through on goal, despite the pass coming from a Harrogate foot.

But four back-to-back corners at the other end saw the pendulum of power swing back towards Town.

And then Paul Foot followed through on Price in an ill-tempered and unnecessary two-footed challenge to earn himself a second yellow and a walk of shame two minutes before the final whistle.

Updated: 13:38 Monday, October 24, 2005