In an epic two-match war of attrition, which was impossible to predict right up into the penalty shoot-out, Kingstonian won the right to travel to Blue Square Conference South side St Albans City for the FA Cup third qualifying round on Saturday October 9.

The game started where Saturday's deadlock finished, two sides cancelling one another out.

So it had to take a piece of sheer magic from Margate winger Wayne Wilson to put his side ahead midway during the first half.

Ks rolled up their sleeves and took the game to their visitors although the well-organized Gate defence soaked it all up.

That is until Lee Hall exploited a half-clearance and belted the ball home to equalize for the Ks just after the hour mark.

The hosts pressed forward knowing a second goal would be enough for further cup progress but Gate keeper Jamie Turner had other ideas making aa series of top drawer saves to send the game into the unpredictability of a penalty shoot-out competition.

It was all about who possessed the best shoot-out nerves and a 3-2 win, without Bobby Traynor, in the best of five, saw the Ks through as keeper Rob Tolfrey was mobbed by his delighted teammates.

The battle re-commenced on four minutes when Tom Bird's free-kick from the right saw man of the match Hall head wide.

Gate attacker Ishmail Kamara had space on the edge of the Ks box but he overhit his through ball to fellow striker Shaun Welford in space in the box.

A Matt Gray short free-kick saw a powerful low drive from Bird which took a deflection on its way out.

A long through ball by Keister was caught by Tolfrey commanding his area.

Dean Lodge's runs were causing problems for the Gate backline and Keister was booked for pulling him down.

All of the Gate were back for Gray's free-kick which deflected out for a corner.

On 24 minutes WAYNE WILSON curled a perfectly executed edge of the Ks box free-kick over the defensive and just home off the underside of the bar to give a full-stretch Tolfrey no chance whatsoever.

Then Wilson was booked for hauling down Lodge.

On 37 minutes a fierce rising drive from Bird was palmed out by a full-stretch Turner.

Wilson replied with another dangerous free-kick but an under-pressure Tolfrey punched clear.

In the final minute of the first half Hall found Traynor on the edge of the Margate box but the stylish Curtis Robinson blocked the Ks striker.

There was still time for a Wilson corner that saw Welford darting in on the far post but he headed wide.

On 54 minutes Hall let loose a half-volley from 25 yards that caught out Turner but it went wide.

Another drive from the busy Hall cannoned off Gate skipper Jay Saunders for a corner.

A Bird corner found Tobi Jinadu but his header was blocked.

A subtle Gray flick set Lodge free down the left but his cross was cut out by the busy Keister.

On 66 minutes at last the K's levelled. A Jinadu high ball was only half-cleared by Robinson to LEE HALL on the edge of the Gate box, he controlled the ball perfectly and walloped the ball past a stationary Turner.

With a quarter of an hour to go Jean-Sylvian Dossou's backline-splitting through ball set Lodge free deep in the away box but an alert Turner darted out to make a brave and perfectly-timed block.

A Bird cross from the left picked out an unmarked Traynor on the far post but he headed wide.

A long clearance from Tolfrey set Bird free, he picked out Traynor on the edge of the Gate box, who tried to find Gray, but he was immediately blocked.

Margate winger Dean Grant had a go from the edge of the Ks box but it was deflected out.

Welford, way out on the left, did the same but his effort was deflected wide of the far post.

In the third minute of extra-time Gray out on the right fired into the side-netting.

Bird and Gray then worked a training ground rehearsed free-kick that set Lodge free down the right, deep in the Gate box, but Turner at full-stretch pushed the ball out.

A Gray free-kick fell into a throng of players in the Gate goalmouth but again Turner pushed the ball to safety. At the beginning of the second half of extra-time a Jinadu cross from the right found Lodge in the Gate goalmouth but his header was denied by a point-blank save from Turner.

In the 109th minute Welford received a second yellow card for upending Adam Thompson and was sent off.

Then a Bird free-kick from the right was met with a header from close range from sub Gomez Dali but again Turner made an instinctive point-blank save and even managed to tip the follow-up over the bar.

Thompson. Gray and Lodge were all successful in the penalty shoot-out but Turner saved from Dali and sub Sam Clayton.

For the visitors Keister and Wilson both converted but Tolfrey turned on then style to stop the unlucky Tommy Osborne, Saunders and Laurence Ball.

Ks 1. Rob Tolfrey 2. Dean Hamlin (sub Sam Clayton, 115th min) 3. Tom Bird 4. Adam Thompson (capt) 5. Max Hustwick 6. Tobi Jinadu 7. Matt Gray 8. Jean-Sylvian Dossou (sub Carl Wilson-Denis, 104th min) 9. Bobby Traynor (sub Gomez Dali, 95th min) 10. Dean Lodge 11. Lee Hall.

Ks return to their league campaign next Saturday October 2nd (3pm k.o.) with a long journey to Essex outfit Canvey Island.