Thatcham took the lead, but ended up on the wrong end of a 3-2 scoreline, succumbing to another narrow cup defeat at the hands of Balham after losing a League Cup tie to them at the end of September.

In a tie played at Tooting & Mitcham United’s Imperial Fields ground, Archie Denton put Town ahead in the 11th minute, planting a back-post header into the goal from Callum Winchcombe’s corner kick.

But the hosts levelled on 23 minutes as forward James Anderson bundled his way through the Thatcham back-line and fired past debutant ‘keeper Nathan Smith.

Worse was to follow as Anderson was played through the middle to score again on 40 minutes, leaving Thatcham’s off-side appeals in vain.

Early in the second half Callum Willmoth, making his 300th Kingfishers appearance, whipped in a free-kick which was tipped around the post by Balham goalie James Smith.

But Thatcham received a setback when Luke Polding was ordered into the sin-bin for dissent despite it clearly being a case of mistaken identity.

The tie remained in the balance and the Kingfishers were denied a late penalty when Junior Da Cruz was nudged over in the box but was given a yellow card for simulation.

Moments later Balham were awarded a penalty following a trip by Will Edwards, which Piers Oldland converted to make it 3-1.

In the dying seconds Denton was felled in the home penalty box and Willmoth netted a late consolation from the spot.

TEAM : Nathan Smith, Junior Da Cruz, Callum Winchcombe, Callum Willmoth, Will Edwards, Kai Boylan, Luke Polding, Archie Denton, Pharrel Agbotey, Dan Smith, Ben Anderson.

SUBS ON : Archie Goode, Daniel Santos, Jamie Barker, Kaser Chowdhary. SUB UNUSED : Rowan Clark