At least 1500 Dons fans made the trip down to St James's Park on a mild autumnal afternoon, for unquestionably the biggest cup game in the 4 years since the theft & relocation of the original club, to an unsightly stretch of roadworks in Buckinghamshire - and after a brave, determined performance, aided and abetted by fantastic, unwavering support, everyone connected with the real Dons can look back on the occasion with immense pride, despite the result ultimately going against them.

Exeter City, 7th in the Conference, wasted no time in going for the jugular, with some quick and incisive attacks that largely set the tone for the afternoon. The Dons, however, repelled their hosts' initial advances and even managed to create a half-chance at the other end, when a chipped pass from the right side of the area by Steve Wales, found Paul Barnes just beyond the far post, who did well to connect at full stretch, only to turn the ball back into the side netting.

But after 7 minutes, Exeter went straight up the other end to open the scoring, when Lee Phillips picked the ball up on the left, got round the back of the Dons defence and played a perceptive pass right across the face of goal to the far post, to present the totally unmarked Andy Taylor with a tap-in, and probably the easiest goal he'll ever score.

With the wind now well and truly in their sails, the home side then went on to create a succession of further chances. A good passing move set up Paul Buckle on the edge of the box for a shot that was well blocked, Jamie Mackie then fired just wide after a buccaneering run into the right side of the area, and even the Exeter defence suddenly fancied their chances of getting in on the act, with Danny Woodards making a powerful run forwards, only for his subsequent 30-yardeffort to drift well wide.

Exeter continued to threaten and on 27 minutes really should have made it 2-0, when Phillips made another run down the left, before cutting inside and laying the ball square to Jon Challinor, who had time and space to tee up his shot, only to drive it horribly low & wide from 15 yards out.

But then the Dons managed to put together their first real spell of possession and see what the weather was like in their opponents' half. This resulted in a30-yard shot off-target from Steve Wales, and then good interplay between Wes Daly & Roscoe D’Sane resulted in an effort from Daly that drifted narrowly over the bar. More disappointing for young Wes was the fact that he injured himself in the process and had go off, with Luke Garrard coming on to replace him, after 37 minutes.

Just before that substitution, though, the Dons had suffered a blow when both Lee Kersey and Steve Watsonwere shown yellow cards by the referee, after Kersey had tangled with Mackie, on the Exeter left.

Then, on 42 minutes, Exeter struck again to grab a superb second goal and extend a lead that no-one could say flattered them. Challinor picked the ball up on the left, made his way towards the edge of the area and saw Andy Little marginally off his line, before curling a magnificent shot above & beyond the Dons keeper, into the far corner of the net, to make considerable amends for his earlier miss. A goal worthy of the occasion, to rival Wes Daly's beauty at Hampton & Richmond just over a year ago, and Rob Ursell's piece of magic at Bromley, the year before that.

With half-time almost upon them, the Dons rallied briefly, with Barnes sending over a good cross from the right, which was well gathered by Exeter 'keeper Martin Rice, and then a fine through ball from Garrard almost put D'Sane clear, only for Rice to get there first once again.

The Dons started the second half with Steve Butler on for Lee Kersey, sensing they could make a comeback, but immediately were almost punished twice by the increasingly dangerous Mackie, first with a tricky meandering run that eventually put him one-on-one with Andy Little, who made a fine save, and then skipping past Butler on the left-side of the area, before pulling his shot wide.

Having survived these early scares, Dons made a couple of forays forward themselves. Luke Garrard broke well down the left and, with Exeter defenders closing in, did well to send over a cross that Rice gathered at the near post. Then Byron Bubb was fouled on a charge towards goal, only to send the ball high and wide from30-yards out, after the free-kick had been played short to him.

It was then the turn of Exeter to threaten further goals, with a couple more opportunities for Mackie who, by now, was leading the Dons a merry dance. Firstly, he made a powerful run towards goal from the left, with Little saving well at his feet, and then cutting in from the left once again, to hit a shot that appeared to take a couple of deflections, before looping just over the angle of the crossbar and far post.

In between these two chances, there was relief for the Dons when Mickey Haswell was able to continue, having received a couple of minutes of treatment following a clash with Woodards. Mackie was then substituted on 63 minutes, but there was no let-up for the Dons, with his replacement Adam Stansfield almost immediately forcing a fine parry from Little, with a fierce drive.

But then the Dons got their reward for a much more assertive second-half display. Byron Bubb picked the ball up on the left, just inside the Exeter half, and chipped a great pass over the top of the defence, into Roscoe D'Sane, who found himself clear on the left-side of the area, before running in on the angle and showing ice-cool temperament, to slide the ball past the advancing 'keeper. Cue frenzied celebrations from the travelling fans. With 25 minutes to go, there was hope for the Dons once again.

The goal, however, only served to fire up the home side and they fashioned two quick chances, that saw Challinor just off target with a long-range effort and then Stansfield firing well wide from further in.

With twenty minutes remaining, Dave Anderson made his final substitution, with Darren Grieves on for Steve Wales. And it almost paid dividends straight away, when Bubb delivered a delicious ball in from the left, only for Grieves, with defenders very tightly marking him, to loop a header into Rice's arms.

Play then switched to the another end, as Exeter looked to restore their two-goal advantage and surely put the tie to bed. Firstly Antony Howard produced a superb last-ditch tackle to prevent Phillips breaking clear on goal, then Stansfield charged down an attempted clearance from Little, only for the ball to go wide, before another effort from Challinor was parried by Little and cleared from in front of him.

On 76 minutes, Stansfield finally did put the ball in the net after it had ricocheted around the edge of the six-yard box and into his path - only for the linesman to rule him offside.

The Dons could not only breathe again, but they also attacked again, with experienced Conference campaigner Steve Watson at the heart of the action. It was his chipped pass forward from midfield, that was helped on by Grieves to D'Sane, who tried a first-time side foot volley from the edge of the area, that looped just past the left-hand post.

Watson himself then tried a 20-yard curler that was narrowly wide of the other side of the goal, but his next involvement was considerably more painful for him, when he was fouled by Exeter's Billy Jones, who was lucky not to get at least a booking for his troubles.

Jones then almost added insult to injury, with a marauding run down the left and a fine cross, which was well gathered by Little, before a dangerous in-swinging corner from the other side caused a moment of panic in the Dons ranks, before being scrambled clear.

With the game now into the minimum of 3 minutes to be added on, there was time for just one more late flurry from the Dons, with D'Sane delivering a decent cross from the right-side of the area, that Rice managed to claim just before Grieves arrived on the scene.

Once the stoppage time has elapsed, the referee blew his last blast of the afternoon, to signal the end of the Dons FA Cup hopes for this season. Their fans, disappointed but not disheartened, rose as one to acclaim their heroes, as they made their departure from the field of combat.

Victory for the Dons would have seen them host League2 side Stockport in the 1st Round Proper, but the day was not just about the result of a football match. During and upon their return home, Dons supporters bellowed songs of triumph long into the night, not only in celebration and acknowledgement of their club's achievements, but more importantly, and as Exeter, Stockport and several other clubs would agree, in recognition of what the fans had achieved.