Knaphill advanced to the preliminary round of the Emirates FA Cup with a deserved 1-0 win away at Midhurst & Easebourne on Saturday.

The Knappers capped off a dominant first-half display with Ross Murdoch’s goal, and managed the second half efficiently to seal their place in the next round.

The visitors started brightly and had an early chance to go ahead on 20 minutes when Olly Woolgar slipped a well-weighted pass through to Lynford Sackey, who was brought down by goalkeeper Harry Adey as he tried to round him. Murdoch stepped up but sent his penalty wide of the left-hand post.

Knaphill continued to press. Murdoch forced Adey into a fingertip save from a Ross Cheek corner on 30 minutes. Four minutes later, Sackey’s fierce cross-shot had to be clawed away. On 37 minutes, a deep delivery was met by Dale Burnham, whose goalbound header was again acrobatically tipped over.

The home side were reduced to ten men in the 43rd minute when Kayode Conteh, already booked, lunged late through Woolgar and was shown a second yellow. From the resulting free kick, Michak Stanic-Stewart headed home, but the goal was ruled out after the referee spotted a collision involving Tom Wensley and the goalkeeper in the six-yard box.

The breakthrough finally came in first-half stoppage time. Cheek’s initial corner was half-cleared, but he regained possession and floated a deep cross to the far post. Jack Carrod looped a header back across goal, and Murdoch rose superbly through a crowd to nod home.

In the second half, Knaphill controlled the game while pushing for a second.

Carrod came close with a deflected long-range effort, and Jack Phillips was denied by Adey in a one-on-one.

Max Lohmeier and Sackey were both booked in stoppage time, but Knaphill saw out the game with composure and discipline.

By Pete Waters