Jon Stevenson’s double strike steered City to victory but they were made to fight all the way by a battling Tooting side in this entertaining FA Cup tie at the rain soaked Imperial Fields.

The home team, coming into the game on the back of an impressive twelve game unbeaten run were unchanged from last Saturday when they travelled to the Isle of Wight and beat Newport 2-0 in the FA Trophy coutesy of goals from John Hastings and Jamie Findlay.

For the visitors, a fit again Dale Binns replaced Robbie Simpson who dropped to the bench in an otherwise unchanged line-up from that which drew with Dorchester last time out.

Persistent rain made good passing football difficult in the opening stages and with both sides ensuring no early risks were taken neither goalkeeper was called into action until Dale Binns’ pace forced home skipper Daniel Nwanze to concede a fourteenth minute corner on the City left.

Dale Binns surges up the flank

Whilst Richard Scott’s delivery was unerringly accurate the Tooting rearguard will be asking themselves how they allowed Jon Stevenson to bundle the ball home from six yards without putting him under serious challenge. The goal was a massive bonus for City as they had offered nothing up to then to suggest they were capable of breaking the deadlock.

The Lilywhites were content to preserve their lead in the knowledge that any set-piece within range of the Tooting goal offered them a further chance. When Tony Chin fouled Stevenson from behind Scott’s swinging far post centre forced Jonty Venter to punch clear, Binns latched onto the loose ball but fired over.

Tooting registered their first attempt on goal shortly before the half hour when the tricky Matt Howard turned inside Binns but his shot from distance was high and wide.

However, just as City had taken the lead without posing any real threat Tooting then equalised in the same manner. Deep in his own territory Craig Pope tried to play his way out of trouble when under pressure from John Hastings, losing possession the former Barnet right-back conceded a free kick in attempting to salvage the situation. Jamie Findlay swung in a dangerous centre which was cleared at the expense of a corner on the City left. Howard delivered an accurate place kick which Chin, given too much space, headed powerfully goalwards presenting Hastings with the opportunity to nod home from within the six yard box and take his season’s tally to thirteen goals.

Having forced their way back into the game the Ryman League side then carelessly allowed City to regain the advantage. A needlessly conceded throw-in allowed Craig Pope to launch the ball into the box where it found Dave Sadler who in turn cushioned a header into the path of Rob Miller. An under-hit effort should have given the Tooting defence the opportunity to clear, however Chin’s hesitancy allowed Miller to size up the goal for a second time and given another chance he made no mistake, slotting clinically past a despairing Venter.

The Lilywhites then went on to produce a high quality finale to the opening period. A purposeful Lee Chaffey run saw the left back cut in from the left, feed Stevenson and drive forward to receive a curling return pass only to be denied by the timely intervention of Nwanze.

Despite gaining the upper hand the visitors were nearly pegged back again. Howard’s free kick from wide on the right skidded off the greasy surface evading everybody in the box, Findlay gave chase and delivered a telling cross from deep on the left which found Kunle Adeoye on the far post, but in stretching to make contact the former Leyton Orient striker was unable to get his header on target.

Neat passing in midfield between Scott and Miller freed Carl Williams on the right and given the time and space to cross the former Fulham midfielder picked out Binns on the far post who lashed the ball into the side netting from close range.

Glen Fuff’s measured clearance then found Binns, who, aided by Sadler’s clever dummy made space to run at Ted Hart and force a corner, however, rather bizarrely Mr Searle blew for half-time before allowing Richard Scott to take the kick.

Richard Cadette made a change at the interval, introducing Daniel Lawson at the expense of Jamie Findlay.

Dave Sadler does battle with Tooting's Tony Chin

It was City who mounted the first meaningful attack however as good build-up play down the left saw Miller cut the ball inside for Scott whose first touch sent Sadler scampering clear in the box but the Lilywhites’ leading scorer snatched at the chance and failed to trouble Venter.

With the tempo noticeably increased after the interval the game began to open up with opportunities at both ends.

The dangerous Hastings turned neatly inside Pope but shot disappointingly off target when well placed to work Alan Calton. Sadler then rose superbly to flick on Calton’s goal kick releasing Stevenson but Venter was alert to the danger and raced from his goal to slice clear.

Richard Cadette’s tactical switch was paying dividends as Tooting posed a much greater attacking threat. A strong run by Andrew Morris saw him get deep into the City box before cutting the ball back but unfortunately for the home side it fell between Hastings and Adeoye allowing Chaffey to clear.

Danny Twin then talked his way into the book after disputing the award of a free kick with Mr Searle.

With twenty five minutes remaining the hosts made their second change, a straight swap with Jason Pinnock replacing Adeoye in attack.

As Tooting pressed again Hastings beat Calton to Craig Tanner’s cross from a short corner but headed over the bar. City broke back immediately and Stevenson’s persistence won another corner. Richard Scott found Sadler but despite being allowed plenty of space the former Hinckley striker was off target.

There was to be no let off for Tooting moments later as they were again punished for slack marking. The presence of Stevenson forced Twin to concede another corner and this time it was the former Leicester City front-man who himself powered Scott’s place kick beyond Venter’s reach and into the roof of the net.

Even at 3-1 City looked far from home and dry as Tooting surged forward, again down their left flank where Hastings and Pinnock combined to work the ball back inside to Morris whose chip curled narrowly over the angle of post and crossbar.

The Lilywhites then thought they had scored the goal that sealed the win when Stevenson won yet another corner (again off Twin), this time Rob Miller played the ball short to Scott to alter the angle of the delivery the result was the same however as Sadler powered home but the goal was chalked off for a foul on Venter.

As City struggled to clear their lines under concerted Tooting pressure Matt Langston was forced into conceding a corner. Hart rose to head Howard’s centre into a goalmouth scramble but with no-one able to react quickly enough to apply the finishing touch the Lilywhites were grateful to clear.

With the game well into the final ten minutes of normal time an excellent pressure-relieving run from Chaffey freed Binns on the left, his low centre found Sadler who played in Stevenson, but the City No. 10 had strayed offside and was denied a hat-trick despite netting from close range.

Jon Stevenson looks to play in a telling cross

Tooting then set up a grandstand finish by halving the arrears. Lee Chaffey’s attempt at a headed clearance from the left back position went horribly wrong and he sent the ball arrowing back across the City box. Pinnock homed in and his initial drive was partially blocked by Alan Calton, Matt Langston hacked clear off the line but only as far Nwanze who lashed the ball into the roof of the net from ten yards.

City then suffered a further blow as Jon Stevenson had to be helped from the field with what appeared to be an ankle injury, giving Robbie Simpson an opportunity to feature in the final few minutes.

With Tooting piling forward Howard won a corner off Chaffey, which he took himself finding Twin on the far post but the former Dulwich player’s towering header sailed over the bar. With the game now stretched City broke straight back, Robbie Simpson’s intelligent pass freeing Sadler wide on the right. Despite firing off target this at least appeared to have eaten up valuable seconds with the 90 minutes all but complete.

Mr Searle had other ideas however and he found several minutes of added time which served only to heighten the tension amongst the visiting supporters. In an attempt to waste some of that time Dale Binns earned himself a caution.

Binns was soon to find his way into Mr Searle’s notebook again but this time under happier circumstances. With Tooting camped in and around the City box Richard Scott found the space to clear, Simpson was onto the ball in a flash and sped down the right before unleashing a ferocious drive which Venter acrobatically deflected onto the woodwork, however with the home side undermanned in defence Dale Binns was first on the scene firing back into the unguarded net, at 4-2 and deep into stoppage time the Lilywhites could at last breathe easily.

Craig Pope then clashed with Tanner, a challenge which earned the City player a yellow card and forced the withdrawal of the Tooting left-back but there was barely time for his replacement, Nicky Elliott, to get onto the pitch before Mr Searle finally brought proceedings to a close.

The Lilywhites have reached the 4th Qualifying Round for the second year running but unlike last season when they breezed past mediocre opposition at Milton Road in order to do so, this time it’s been much tougher, which ought to stand them in good stead whoever they are paired with in Monday’s draw.