Holders Lavington survived a scare before securing a3 -2 home win over Calne Eagles in their premliminary round game in the Chantry Digital Ltd of Trowbridge-sponsored Knockout Cup.

Eagles arrived with only 11 players, including their 46-year-old reserve goalkeeper Kevin Windsor, who was playing his first competitive game for 18 months, but thought they had taken the lead after only 10 minutes when Danny Thompson struck a sweet free-kick straight into top corner of the goal from the edge of the box, but the goal was ruled out because the free-kick had been indirect.

However, only five minutes later Calne Eagles scored the goal that their good play deserved when centre-forward Adam Bewley cleverly flicked the ball past his marker before coolly slotting his shot past goalkeeper Mike Barton.

Lavington then snapped into action and their strike duo of Myles Hickton and Jamie Bayes started to stretch Calne's defence. After 25 minutes the pressure told when skilful winger Wayne House scored from close range following a goalmouth scramble.

Calne Eagles then regained the lead with an Adam Bewley penalty following a foul by Lavington centre-back Ollie Hickton. Right at the start of the second half, Lavington were reduced to 10 men when a bizarre incident saw their substitute Craig Campbell get sent off.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Lavington equalised after 60 minutes when Jamie Bayes finished powerfully from a tight angle.

Both teams then created good chances to take the lead but it was Lavington's Wayne House who scored the winning goal with 15 minutes remaining.

In the closing stages, as Calne Eagles ran out of steam, Lavington created numerous clear-cut chances but two great saves from Windsor and some last ditch defending kept the final score at 3-2.