Steve McKimm said he was going to drink Guinness until he passed out after Cray Valley’s magnificent FA Cup performance at Charlton.

McKimm’s Millers, the lowest-ranked side left in the competition and 117 places below the Addicks, forced a 1-1 draw at the Valley in front of the TV cameras on Sunday night.

Roared on by 2,000 away fans in the Jimmy Seed Stand, they came from a goal down against the League 1 club with Kyrell Lisbie’s second-half cross forcing an own goal from Lucas Ness.

The Millers stayed on the pitch long after the final whistle to celebrate with supporters and the party was set to continue back at their nearby home ground.

“I’m going back to the club with the players and the staff and our family and friends and I’m going to drink loads and loads of Guinness, probably till I pass out,” said McKimm.

Charlton took a gamble in changing all 11 players but introduced the likes of Alfie May and Miles Leaburn during the second half.

But they couldn’t beat McKimm’s Isthmian South East side, who produced a performance in their manager’s mould.

There was no way they were going to fold after falling behind early on.

“Through all my career, even as a player, I’ve had a lot of spirit about me and I try and install that in my players,” said proud boss McKimm.

“Nothing’s over till it’s over. The writing could have been on the wall (at 1-0 down). When I was at Tonbridge we had Bradford and they went a goal up early and we ended up getting done 7-0.

“But I made a mistake by going gung-ho and thinking we could go toe-to-toe with Bradford, who were struggling in League 2.

“We definitely weren’t going to make that mistake because Charlton, let’s get it right, they’re not far from the play-offs in League 1, they’ve got good players, a good manager and we knew we couldn’t just come and be expansive.

“But what I did like, after going 1-0 down, my players didn’t freeze and they looked after the ball and used the ball well.

“We weren’t a smash-and-grab team and I won’t have anyone say that.

“We played some really good football for an eighth-tier side and it’s testament to my players because Charlton ended up bringing on five of probably their 16 that play week in, week out in League 1.

“I’m not going to kid anybody, we didn’t play Charlton’s first team, but we played a team that are full of professionals, who train every day and have got the fitness, nutrition and everything that comes with being a professional footballer - and my boys were superb.”

The atmosphere generated by Cray Valley fans will live with McKimm for a long time.

They gave tremendous backing all night and the Millers boss was pleased to see them rewarded with an equaliser.

He said: “When we came out and started seeing the crowd and your friends and family, and you went up and said hello to them, it was unbelievable.

Report: Charlton 1-1 Cray Valley

“At half-time, I said to the players, make sure you at least have an opportunity to give them something to shout about.

“They were shouting all night, don’t get me wrong, but when that goal went in, it erupted and all of a sudden the pressure’s on the higher team.

“Every time the ball went in the box, there’s nervousness, and that’s what I encouraged them to do at half-time - get the ball in the box, make the defenders defend.

“I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

Charlton manager Michael Appleton paid tribute to Cray Valley’s non-league stars after the 1-1 draw.

Appleton, having defended his selection, was glowing in his praise for the Millers.

He said: “They were top-drawer. They thoroughly deserve their second crack at it and I’m sure they’ll be looking forward to hosting us. They did great.

“They earned their luck with the goal, put bodies on the line at times and even had one or two moments themselves in the game, so I’m not going to try and deny them their moment. Fair play to them.”

Appleton added he spoke to McKimm “very briefly after the game to wish him well and say how well they’d done”.