Havant an excuse!

With 19 minutes gone and the Cup giant-killers leading 1-0, one of the pylons in the corner of the homely Ship Lane ground went out. When no progress had been made half-an-hour later, referee Mark Spradbery ignored the wishes of both clubs by calling off the game.

In all, the faulty floodlight fused on five occasions. At one point the players trotted back on to the pitch in hope, but no sooner had they reached the halfway line than the lights went out again. With no match left before the trip to Anfield, Gregory's hopes of a reprieve to allow him to step out against Steven Gerrard and his pals have been dashed once and for all.

The hastily-arranged fixture, designed to allow the 32-year-old to serve a one-match suspension and be free to play at Anfield, had already caused Havant more headaches than they had bargained for.

The FA, in their nit-picking wisdom, had spotted the ruse and ruled that Gregory should instead serve a two-match ban, thereby undermining this season's feelgood Cup story in bewildering fashion. So much for the romance of the FA Cup that they are always so concerned with preserving.

Havant enlisted legal help yesterday in an effort to find a technical loophole in the decision.

The QC in question can rest easy. Barring a postponement of Saturday's tie at Anfield, Gregory will now be serving the first game of his ban when he should be playing the most glamorous match of his career.

Last night's proceedings were surreal enough without the added complication of floodlight failure. As hospitable as the Thurrock staff tried to make their welcome to Havant manager Shaun Gale and his team last night, the tiny stands do not hold quite the same knee-wobbling majesty of Anfield.

Set in the grounds of a hotel in the shadow of the M25 with a 4,000 capacity and accessed by a single entrance gate, Thurrock's home is, well, homely.

As is their custom for league games in and around the capital, the Havant players turned up by car with no one to welcome them save a turnstile operator still setting out his stall.

The compact main stand would have been occupied by Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez had he bothered to turn up to cast an eye over his side's next opponents. He would have missed the fourthminute goal stabbed home by reserve striker Craig Watkins in front of the 19 Havant fans occupying the stand behind one goal. But, then again, perhaps Rafa knew something about the dodgy lights.

With Havant fielding a weakened side, Thurrock began the match as favourites, so for the away team to be leading would have brought in a healthy dividend for any betting scam in the Far East — assuming anyone in Kuala Lumpur has heard of Havant & Waterlooville.

Gale had rested seven of Saturday's likely starting line-up to preserve his players for their grand day out. Needless to say, he was left bemused by the turn of events which transformed the evening into a not-so-glorified training session in darkest Essex.

Havant always knew this would be a week to remember. They cannot have rec