The losers were common sense and the Nationwide Conference South side, who battled hard but are out of the Cup and at least £10,000 out of pocket. “That has been disappointing,” Ian Baird, the Havant manager, said. “For this to be made a Category C game, which is one level below an England international game, is astonishing.”

His club needed an attendance of 7,800 at Portsmouth’s ground to break even, but drew only 5,793. Rows of empty seats in the visitors’ enclosure mocked the police’s ludicrous “intelligence” reports that 2,500 would make the trip from South Bermondsey.

Millwall’s own estimate, which turned out to be highly accurate, had been that about 500 would travel. “Thirty-five grand? You’re having a laugh,” a half-empty Fratton End sang.

A replay would have replenished the coffers, and it would have been richly deserved. There was little evidence of the difference of 56 places in the league pyramid between Havant and the 2004 finalists, and it took a spectacular volleyed goal from Alan Dunne to send Millwall through to a second-round match away to Bradford City after Rocky Baptiste had raised Hampshire hopes with a second-half equaliser.

It all came after the worst possible start for Havant, who went behind to a soft goal after only five minutes when Ben May converted Chris Hackett’s square pass with a first-time stab that rolled gently past Shane Gore. However, their confidence was not visibly affected. Brett Poate dragged a good chance wide less than a minute later, Tony Taggart miskicked when well placed, and Mo Harkin’s cross almost drifted into the net.

Millwall had strong claims for a penalty when Justin Gregory appeared to block Hackett’s shot with his arm, but Havant kept carving out the majority of openings, and the best one fell to Richard Pacquette after 37 minutes. He hooked the ball over Lenny Pidgeley to leave himself with a shot at an empty net from the corner of the area, but instead of steadying himself, he went for glory and volleyed into the seats.

However, when a chance finally went in after 56 minutes, it was the simplest of goals, Baptiste sidefooting home after Harkin had played the ball in from the right.

Both sides went for the winner, and after 72 minutes Millwall got it. Dunne, who had earlier been denied a headed goal by Gore’s reflexes, saw a headed clearance drop his way and volleyed in from 25 yards.

“I’m very proud of them,” Baird said. “There didn’t seem to be a lot of difference between the teams, but it’s a results business.”

HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE (4-4-2): S Gore — M Warner, T Jordan, L Byles, J Gregory (sub: D Holdsworth, 74min) — M Harkin (sub: C Watkins, 82), T Taggart, J Collins (sub: F Simpson, 82), B Poate — R Pacquette, R Baptiste. Substitutes not used: N Sharp, G Howells. Booked: Jordan, Poate, Byles, Pacquette.

MILLWALL: L Pidgeley — D Sendar (sub: M Ross, 46), P Robinson, R Shaw, Z Whitbread — C Hackett, D McInnes (sub: S Mawene, 90), M Elliott, A Dunne — B May (sub: D Byfield, 47), C Zebroski. Substitutes not used: C Day, P Hubertz. Booked: May, Hackett, Zebroski.

Referee: R Lee.

• Sean Rigg, the Bristol Rovers forward, will press charges against James Cotterill, the Barrow defender, after he was left with a suspected double fracture of the jaw. The incident happened during Rovers’ 3-2 victory in the FA Cup first round on Saturday. Barrow have issued an apology, but Rigg said that he wants to make it a matter for the police.

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