Sittingbourne defender Chris Arthur confirmed his return to form with a match-winning performance in the FA Trophy.
Arthur scored the only goal and helped the Brickies keep a clean sheet in a 1-0 win over higher-league Hashtag United in the third qualifying round on Saturday.
Victory sent last season's quarter-finalists through to the first round and a home tie against Cray Valley on October 25.
Arthur met a corner on the half-volley in just the second minute before excelling at left-back, a change of position for the big man, who normally plays centre-half.
The veteran defender has been getting back to his best after a slow start to the season by his standards.
"He's a goal machine - one every 90 games!" said manager Ryan Maxwell.
"He got one versus Enfield last year but that was because I gave it to him.
"It was an unbelievable finish, tremendous technique, which makes you think why has he not scored more?
"He nearly scored again with a header over the bar.
"Maybe he's got a taste for it now but it was great for him to score a fantastic goal and be part of the clean sheet.
"I actually played him in a different role at left-back and he was brilliant. He's played numerous games there as a pro but the last four or five years he's been centre-half.
"To be completely honest, he probably didn't hit the heights of last year in the early part of the season.
"He'll hold his hands up to that, he's cost us a couple of points and he knows that.
"But you don't have the season he had last year and become a bad player.
"We knew it was going to turn and he's been excellent of late.
"He was outstanding in Jersey (1-1 draw last Tuesday) and he's had some great games before that as well.
"It took a little while to get those bones going but he's an absolute warrior, he's one of my go-to men when you have to roll your sleeves up.
"He played 55 games or something last year and I think he's started nearly every game this season, so he's turned the corner, he's in great form and I'm delighted he scored."
Sittingbourne made a habit of knocking out sides from higher levels during last season's Trophy run.
And they were at it again with their performance against Isthmian Premier Hashtag.
Buoyed by an outstanding display in Jersey, which deserved three points rather than one, they got the job done.
Maxwell said: "We probably created more in Jersey but defensively and the structure and the organisation was absolutely superb from the players. We limited Hashtag to one shot on target.
"You have to respect teams from the league above you, they were off the back of beating Welling, so I'm sure they came to us with a bit of confidence.
"They've got boys who are dangerous, some very good individual players, we had to cater for them and we did.
"We adjusted tactically and those things worked, hence why we restricted them to so little.
"It was a brilliant performance from us and I'm absolutely delighted with a clean sheet."
Sittingbourne return to Isthmian South East action this Saturday (3pm) at home to Broadbridge Heath.
A trip to Hastings follows on Tuesday (7.45pm).
They are improving all the time following a summer rebuild and Maxwell knows the best is still to come.
"We are very strong across the board," he said.
"I think the key is that everyone really understands their role.
"I'm trying to ingrain their roles within this team still, and we are getting there.
"We've shown a little bit of our flair in some games and then we've shown how resilient we are but we've been punished for the odd fantastic goal or one error of judgement.
"I'm very pleased with the quality of player we have, it's just refining those players and once we get them firing on all cylinfers, we'll be an absolute machine.
"I've said many times, this is a complete rebuild and that takes a bit of time.
"We've had to do an awful lot, more than anyone else, but we've only lost one game and we will get better - and I think everyone else knows that."
Maxwell has thanked Brickies fans who made the trip to Jersey last week.
They featured in the manager's team-talk before the 1-1 draw.
"Fifty fans flew out to Jersey midweek, which is amazing, and we spent some time with them afterwards," said Maxwell.
"We're very much a one-unit club, with fans and players and management and board, we're all united and it was great to see them there.
"The fans were a big part of my team-talk.
"I said they want to see a team they're proud of and the very least you do is you make sure they get back on that plane proud - and they did.
"We took a lot from the game and I think that filtered into Saturday's performance.
"It was important we used it for what it was, an opportunity to come together as a team and spend time together afterwards, and I think we're a better team for it."
"We performed extremely well."
Much-changed Sittingbourne lost 4-1 at National League South Tonbridge in the Kent Senior Cup second round on Tuesday night.