NATHAN Lynch headed Hamble to a 2-1 win over Horndean and a place in Monday’s draw for the last 32 of the FA Vase.

The tall, powerful Hamble hitman scored midway through the second half as his side came from behind to pull off a hard-earned victory.

Horndean had lost four of their previous five matches, but rocked Hamble with a third-minute stunner.

MILES EVERETT picked up a stray ball some 40 yards out, teed it up and struck a superb long-range shot into the top right-hand corner.

Hamble goalkeeper Sam Webb got a hand to the shot, but was unable to keep out Everett’s 13th goal of the season.

Unsettled, Hamble took a while to get into the tie, but ten minutes later came within inches of scoring an equaliser.

Mick Byrne created the opportunity for Lynch, who chipped the ball over the Horndean defence and into the path of Mo Nyang.

But the Hamble forward, sliding in, was unable to force the ball home, both he and the ball crashing against the upright.

Hamble went close again through Coby Wilson, but Horndean goalkeeper Aaron Holt flung himself to his left to make a superb one-handed save.

On the half-hour Hamble had a massive escape as Sam Hookey floated the ball in from the right.

Mark Smith’s header beat Webb, but Hamble hacked the ball off the line.

Ben Kemplen was yellow-carded for a foul soon after that, but the Hamble midfielder soon atoned with a superb run which set up the equaliser.

He bustled some 25 yards, fending off several challenges, before feeding the ball to Ricky Bull, who put in a splendid low cross behind the Horndean defence for NYANG to make it 1-1 six minutes before the interval.

Hamble finished the first half strongly and twice went close before half-time.

When Alex Blake met a Liam Crook corner, the Hamble defender was unable to keep his header down and his effort went over the bar.

Then, on the stroke of half-time, Lynch sent a side-foot shot into the midrift of the Horndean goalkeeper.

Just as they had done in the first half, Horndean bossed the opening phase of the second period, without seriously troubling the home defence.

Their best chances probably came when Mark Smith got in headers that were comfortably dealt with.

But it was Hamble who scored the all-important second and decisive goal midway through the half.

Crook delivered a perfect ball on to the head of LYNCH, who sent a glancing header beyond the reach of Holt and into the corner of the Horndean net.

Hamble grew stronger as the game progressed, with Lynch rolling a shot just wide.

Horndean launched a sustained spell of pressure late on, but the nearest they came to equalising was when Danny Boyle rifled a rising 30-yard drive inches too high.

But Hamble held on to grind out a victory which takes them into the last 32 in their debut season in the Vase competition.

*Joining Hamble Club in the fourth round are Blackfield & Langley and Newport IW.

Liam Robinson knocked his old club Sholing out of the competition with a late first-half goal as Blackfield ran out 1-0 winners at the Universal Stadium.

Aurele Beya's sixth-minute goal saw Newport IW through 1-0 at Christchurch.

It was the end of the road for Team Solent, beaten 4-0 at Bradford Town, while Baffins Milton Rovers bowed out 4-1 at Horley Town.