Leatherhead stand on the brink of reaching the first round of the FA Cup for the first time in 26 years thanks to a hat-trick from skipper Dave Stevens.

The in-form striker netted either side of half-time to send Southern Premier side Mangotsfield United crashing 4-1 after Jamie Beer gave his side an early lead.

Stevens turned down the chance to join Ryman League Division One rivals Kingstonian last month and has since claimed two triples in the past seven games.

And boss Dave Harlow described the third qualifying round replay on Tuesday as the perfect night for his captain.

"I think he made the right choice and he is probably very pleased he turned them down at the moment," he said.

"There is a great buzz at the club at the moment and Dave is just getting back to what he does best - putting the ball in the back of the net.

"It was a perfect night for everyone at the club."

The Tanners will not have played a league game for a month by the time they face AFC Sudbury in the final qualifying round on October 28, because of the recent run.

And the current state of affairs is a far cry from the start to the season when former assistant boss Hayden Bird walked out on the club prior to the first game.

But Harlow is refusing to get carried away.

"We have given ourselves a fantastic opportunity to make the first round. We have two more games before then, so we need to get out feet back on the ground," he said.

"Results are going our way and things are going very well at the moment.

"We've just got to enjoy it at the moment because we know from last season how quickly that bubble can burst."

Leatherhead have a proud giant-killing record in the world's oldest knockout competition, with league teams Brighton & Hove Albion and Colchester United among their famous scalps.

And replay glory against a team from a league above was made possible by a battling 1-1 draw at Bristol-based Mangotsfield on Saturday, thanks to a second-half strike from Steve Sargent.

A large contingent of travelling support in the West Country was the highlight of the success, according to Harlow, and those who made Tuesday's repeat were rewarded with Beer rifling home inside five minutes.

Stevens stretched the lead 10 minutes later and was on the mark again minutes before the break to give his side a 3-0 cushion.

A Robert Claridge penalty proved a consolation for the visitors as Stevens completed the rout ahead of Saturday's FA Trophy clash with Rothwell Town.