On a damp and murky November evening at the EBB Stadium, a comfortable home victory against Conference South strugglers Maidenhead United, saw Shots through to the second round of the FA Cup and earned them an away tie at Hillsborough, home of League One Sheffield Wednesday.
Following Saturday's disappointing home defeat to Gillingham, Shots Manager Dean Holdsworth shuffled his pack and brought Aaron Morris, Jamie Collins and Scott Davies back in at the expense of Aaron Brown, Peter Vincenti and Danny Hylton - all of which took up a place on a seven man bench, that also included youngster Henrik Breimyr.
In truth, it was a scrappy opening fifteen minutes, in which the only effort on goal at either end was a 25 yard Rankine thimper, which Magpies keeper Sam Beasant brilliantly tipped round his left hand post for a corner.
However, on 15 minutes, Beasant should perhaps have done better when beaten at his right hand post, as Alex Rodman cut in from the left flank and struck from 20 yards to put Shots a goal up. Moments later Rankine got a shot away from an acute angle, which Beasant saved at his near post.
Shots dominated, without ever really getting out of second gear and doubled their lead in the 34th minute, when Guttridge drifted unmarked on to a cross from the right and headed home from the 6 yard line.
Rodman went close again just prior to the break, cutting in once again, but he didn't quite get hold of it this time and soon after the referee brought the first half to a close.
Shots continued to dominate proceedings after the break. Herd, Davies and McGlsahan all had half chances in the opening ten minutes. Then Rankine burst through and struck his shot well, but just wide of the goal. The Magpies occasionally made the odd foray forward and had a couple of long range efforts, neither of which (thankfully) troubled Jamie Young in the Shots goal.
On 64 minutes, Maidenhead finally forced a save - and an excellent one at that - out of Jamie Young. Will Hendry struck his free kick goalwards, but Young dived low and to his left to tip it round for a corner.
Holdsworth freshened things up, bringing on Mekki and Hylton, for McGlashan and Rankine. Mekki made his mark immediately, with a surging run and cross, but it was cleared without fuss by the visiting defence.
Gutts shot wide from the edge of the box. Then Magpies sub Manny Williams shot wide from the following counter attack. Scott Davies let fly from 20 yards and his shot was on target, but turned away for a corner. The game began to open up and half chances came and went at either end.
Hylton was flattened in the area - looked a stone wall penalty - nothing given. Moments later he was put clear by Ben Herd, drew the keeper...clipped it past him, but unfortunately for Danny, just past the post too.
As Shots eased into the final ten minutes, Holdsworth replaced Guttridge with Vincenti. Mekki's curling effort was brilliantly saved by Beasant in the final minute and then Young saved at point blank range from another Magpie sub, Alex Wall.
So, Shots ease through without fuss and can now look forward to a trip to Hillsborough to play Sheffield Wednesday in Round 2.