Tommy Warrilow called for positivity after Ashford won an FA Trophy First Qualifying Round thriller on penalties.

The Nuts & Bolts led AFC Sudbury 3-1 on Tuesday with goals from Stephen Okoh, Charlie Dickens and George Nikaj, only to concede twice at the death.

But they won the shoot-out 5-4 with Mamadou Diallo scoring the decisive penalty after Jacob Russell kept out the Isthmian North leaders’ second spot-kick.

Ashford will host Three Bridges in the next round a week on Saturday.

“We did it the hard way but no one’s got a divine right to win a game of football,” said boss Warrilow.

“Everyone’s going to be talking about the last five minutes, where we’ve let the two goals in, but they forget what went on before that and I thought we were the better team.

“We’re playing a side who are top of their league and haven’t lost this season and we’ve got the win.

“I’m always looking at the positives. We know what’s wrong, and our job is to make it right, but there’s lots of positives.

“At 3-1 down, you’re going to throw everything at it and unfortunately we’ve panicked and shown a bit of naivety.

“I’m fed up of hearing what’s wrong, I know what’s wrong, I want to start hearing some positives because we haven’t had a bad start to the season.

“We’re having spells in games where we’re losing our way but we know that, let’s get some positivity in here.

“We know we’re not 100% but we’re still winning and surely that’s a good thing because we’re only going to get better.

“We can’t keep telling the boys what’s wrong, we’ve got to tell them the positives as well. That’s why it’s called management, you’ve got to manage players.”

It’s a repeat of last year’s Isthmian South East play-off final when Ashford face Herne Bay in the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round this weekend.

It’s the first time the Nuts & Bolts have reached this stage in 24 years.

The tie will take place at Ramsgate’s Southwood ground on Sunday (3pm), while work continues on Bay’s 3G pitch.

Ashford aren’t happy with the kick-off time, having asked for an earlier start.

Warrilow said: “We wanted to try and play it on Friday night but that couldn’t be done so we asked for 1pm on Sunday, which Herne Bay were up for, but apparently there’s a kids’ game on it.

“I thought 1pm would have been better for everyone, otherwise you’re dragging your heels around on a Sunday morning waiting for the game, and then fans can get home earlier.

“I think there should have been some leeway to accommodate the game. It’s not as though it’s a nothing game, it’s the FA Cup.

“I’m not saying the kick-off time is going to make any difference to the game, I just think everyone would have appreciated the earlier start.

“Fair play to Corinthian, we were supposed to be going there in the league on Tuesday but they’ve moved it to Wednesday.

“I’d have done the same if you want the truth but they didn’t have to do it.”

Ashford lost the play-off final 2-0 but that’s all in the past as far as Warrilow’s concerned.

“Of all the teams, it’s fate that we pulled Herne Bay,” he said. “It’s not about revenge, it’s a different game.

“They’ll be strong up front with what they’ve recruited. They’ll be a bit of a different animal and so are we.

“Hopefully we’ll get a few bodies back and there might be a new arrival.”