Manager Danny Kedwell saw Ashford take their second chance to progress in the FA Cup.

The Nuts & Bolts needed a late equaliser from Gary Lockyer - his 50th goal for the club - to salvage a 1-1 draw at Harrow Borough in Saturday’s preliminary round tie.

Kedwell felt they were fortunate to secure a replay but they made it count by coming from behind to win Tuesday night’s game 3-1.

Max Walsh cancelled out the visitors’ early opener, with Lockyer and Will Moses also on target to set up a first qualifying round tie at home to Three Bridges on August 31.

“We rode our luck a bit on Saturday,” said Kedwell.

“They probably deserved to beat us.

“We weren’t at our best but this group never give up.

“Good teams play bad and still get results so that’s what they did on Saturday to get the replay.

“Harrow are a very good team, they’re hard to play against, and they’ve got a lot of pace in their front three.

“Where we playing them so early in the season, we couldn’t get any clips to see how they play, so it was a bit off-the-cuff.

“That was their chance to beat us. I watched our game back and changed shape, which helped us, as proved by the 3-1 win.

“I thought every player was magnificent, especially in the first half.

“They threw everything at us in the second half, which we knew they were going to do, and we got our third goal at the perfect time.

“Will scored it and he’s been brilliant for us.

“He’s playing on the right side of a back three and he’s got everything. He’s got pace, he can drive with the ball, he can head it. He’s young as well, 21 or 22, and he’s only going to get better.”

Ashford return to Isthmian South East action with two Kent derbies over the Bank Holiday weekend.

The meet relegated Margate at Homelands in a match that’s been brought forward to Friday night (7.45pm).

That’s followed by a trip to Sittingbourne on Monday (3pm).

Kedwell is hoping Friday night football will capture the imagination of Nuts & Bolts fans.

“We brought it forward to give us an extra day’s recovery before Monday and then we ended up getting an FA Cup replay, so it’s not perfect but you can’t plan these things,” said Kedwell.

“I’ve got good depth in the squad, I can trust anyone to start, so there will be a lot of rotation to get us through.

“It’ll be a good crowd. Margate have a good following, I’m sure they’ll bring 200, 300, so with our fans as well there might be 700, 800, or hopefully more.

“We’ve just got to keep getting results and the crowds go up.

“It’s mad to think Margate are playing at this level.

“They’re a good team, they’ll be up there. It’s going to be a tough game but one I’m looking forward to.

“We’ve played three cup games and one league game so it’s just nice to have another league game.

“We’ve got to be on our game and see where it takes us.”

The Sittingbourne match will be another big test for the Nuts & Bolts as two of the fancied sides meet at Woodstock Park.

Kedwell and opposite number Ryan Maxwell have joked about naming themselves on the bench and “coming on for a ding-dong”.

“I really like Maxy, he cracks me up,” said Kedwell.

“I’ve played against his teams and stuff. He’s just a bit of me, really.

“Even when I was playing against him, I liked him.

“I like the way he is on the side and all that. I like those sorts of managers.

“When I was at Chatham, he helped me with players and vice-versa.

“Obviously not now because we’re in the same league so he doesn’t ring me any more!”

Meanwhile, veteran forward Ian Draycott has left Ashford.

The former Maidstone and Folkestone man needs regular football.

“Unfortunately when Draycs came back for pre-season he had a little niggle so he missed the first week,” said Kedwell.

“When he came back he could only play certain minutes, then towards the end of pre-season he did his calf so he couldn’t be in and around the squad at the beginning of the season.

“We agreed he just needs to go and play football. He’s a good player and a top lad as well.”