Farnham Town exited the Emirates FA Cup with a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat at National League outfit Sutton United in their fourth qualifying round replay.

Tow led twice thanks to goals from Bobby-Joe Taylor and Owen Dean, but ultimately fell to a late defeat after extra time in front of a crowd of 1,496 at the VBS Community Stadium.

The visitors created their first chance of the evening in the 17th minute when Dean picked out Darryl Sanders on the edge of the box, but Sanders’ shot went over the crossbar.

Farnham went close again two minutes later when Taylor’s free kick found Imran Uche, whose header went wide at the back post.

Sutton then went on the front foot and Brandon Njoku drove forward on 22 minutes and hit a low shot from just outside the box which was well held by Town keeper Zaki Oualah.

Oualah was called into action again two minutes later when Jayden Harris hit a powerful strike towards goal which was well held by Farnham’s keeper.

Farnham won a free kick in a dangerous position in the 29th minute and Taylor’s teasing delivery was dropped by Sutton keeper David Aziaya and fell to Town captain Ryan Kinnane, whose attempt was deflected behind for a corner.

Taylor whipped in a superb ball from the resulting corner and found Sanders, who got across his man at the near post and flicked his header just over the bar.

Town were enjoying a good spell of pressure and created another good chance in the 31st minute when Dean played a pass out to Sam Evans on the left, who cut inside and hit a right-foot shot was took a deflection and was well held by Aziaya.

Farnham’s pressure eventually told when the ball dropped to Taylor on the edge of the box on 36 minutes, and Taylor fired his right-foot shot across goal into the back of the net to give Town the lead and send the travelling fans delirious.

Town went desperately close to doubling their advantage in the 40th minute when Evans got the ball on the left-hand side and played a pass inside to Sanders, whose curling right-foot shot beat Aziaya and cannoned off the right-hand post.

Farnham had another golden opportunity to score a second five minutes later when Dean sent Taylor racing clear down the right-hand side and he drove into the box and hit a right-foot shot which hit the outside of the near right-hand post.

There was still time for Sutton to nearly equalise before half-time when Njoku was found in the middle of the box, but he fired his right-foot shot over the bar from close range.

Town started the second half brightly and had the first chance of the half in the 47th minute when Aziaya’s clearance went straight to Taylor on the edge of the box, and Taylor fired a powerful shot goalwards which was well tipped over the bar by Sutton’s keeper.

Farnham boss Paul Johnson was forced to make his first change of the evening on 50 minutes, with Tom Leggett replacing the injured Joe Jackson.

Taylor whipped in another superb free kick delivery seven minutes later and picked out Kinnane, but Farnham’s captain couldn’t guide his shot on target. Johnson then made his second change of the evening, with Adam Liddle replacing Evans and offering fresh legs up front.

Oualah was forced into his first save of the second half shortly afterwards, when he got down well to hold Lewis Simper’s low drive. Johnson then made his third substitution of the evening on 64 minutes, with Ogo Obi replacing Sanders.

The U’s got back on level terms in spectacular style in the 66th minute when Simper got the ball on the edge of the box and curled a superb right-foot shot into the top right-hand corner of the net.

Johnson made his fourth change of the evening on 74 minutes, with Harry Cooksley replacing Uche in midfield.

Town almost regained the lead two minutes later when Obi spotted Aziaya off his line and his audacious lob went just over the bar. Johnson then made his final substitution, with Ben Purcell replacing Mat Mackenzie.

Farnham did retake the lead in the 82nd minute when Purcell’s shot from the edge of the box took a big deflection and Dean rose superbly to beat Aziaya to the loose ball and nod his header into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

Sutton responded immediately and got back on level terms two minutes later when David Ogbonna weaved his way into the box and cut inside onto his left foot and curled a superb shot into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Ogbonna almost scored again a minute later when he spun sharply on the edge of the box and hit a low shot which was well held by Oualah.

Ogbonna nearly scored a winner for Sutton in stoppage time, but he fired his shot straight at Oualah and the tie went to extra time.

The U’s head the first clearcut chance of extra time in the 100th minute when Ogbonna cut inside from the left before blasting his shot over the bar.

Liddle then broke clear for Farnham a minute later and sent a teasing delivery across goal from the right, but no one was there to tap the ball home.

Taylor then delivered another dangerous ball in from the right, but Aziaya got down well to tip the ball away.

Town created the first chance of the second half of extra time on 107 minutes, when Taylor drove into the box and his shot was blocked.

Sutton nearly scored a winner five minutes later when Charlie Bell found Njoku on the left-hand side of the box, and Njoku’s effort flashed across goal and just wide of the far post.

The U’s had another good chance in the 117th minute when Ashley Nadesan’s free kick found Simper, whose looping header went over the bar.

Sutton did score a winner on 120 minutes when Nadesan picked out Will Tizzard in the box, and Tizzard fired his finish into the bottom corner.

Next up for Farnham is a home game against Weymouth in the Southern League Premier South on Saturday, October 18 (5.30pm kick-off).