Enfield Borough again proved they are capable of overcoming teams from higher up the footballing pyramid by beating Sporting Bengal United 3-2 to reach the first round proper of the FA Vase.

Shaun Reece’s side had gone into Sunday’s tie off the back of a defeat in their previous Spartan South Midlands League Division One outing, but the Panthers rose to the challenge against their Essex Senior League opponents from one level higher.

Borough’s reward is a first round tie against Suffolk side Kirkley & Pakefield after Tage Kennedy’s brace and a rare goal for Dervon Hurde had seen their side through.

“We had Sporting watched in midweek so we had an idea what to expect,” Reece said after his side’s victory. “We told the lads that they would be quickly out of the blocks and to stay with them for the opening 15 minutes. However, we scored very early which instilled a bit of confidence.

“I thought that we controlled the game pretty well against a very good side. We know that playing teams from a higher level brings the best out in us.”

Enfield got off to a flyer after four minutes when Richard Ennin fed Kennedy, who was on the shoulder of the last defender, and the striker timed his run perfectly to make the breakthrough.

The visitors responded by hitting the crossbar from a free-kick, but after Kennedy had seen an effort ruled out for offside Borough doubled their lead in the 37th minute when right-back and captain Hurde scored only his second goal in 78 games in fine fashion with a swerving shot from 30 yards.

United halved the deficit five minutes after the restart with a far-post header following a free-kick in the centre circle, only for their opponents to restore their two-goal cushion just before the hour when Kennedy netted his second from a Brandon McKenna cross.

There was late drama when Brian Tshibangu was sent off for a second yellow card before Sporting scored their second from an injury-time penalty after Frank Chandler was penalised for an innocuous challenge, but it was not enough to prevent Borough from advancing.