Holders Vasco were knocked out of the FA Cup by First Division title rivals Dandy Town in a quarter-final thriller at BAA Field which could have gone either way.

Only some resilient defending by Town in the final quarter of an hour prevented Vasco forcing a replay.

Up until that point Town had dictated the pace of the game, combining smart passing and clever off the ball runs.

Such enterprising play brought goals for Darren Simons, McLee Smith and Devon Binns while Kentoine Jennings provided the lone strike for Vasco.

Dano Outerbridge, a rock in defence for Mark Trott's charges, nearly opened the scoring in the third minute when he latched on to Devarr Boyle's corner but his first-time shot went just wide of the upright.

Three minutes later Reggie Tucker might have scored but he poked the ball too far ahead of him, allowing the last defender, Diallo Sharrieff, to clear for Vasco.

Tucker was again in the midst of the action in the 15th minute, when he turned his marker in midfield and played a delightful ball into the path of Simons, who had made a fine run to Tucker's right. However Simons' shot was well saved by Timmy Figureido.

Vasco's defence had their hands full as Travis Wilkinson, Boyles and Simons linked up beautifully down the left wing. And they finally gave way in the 32nd minute.

Kentoine Jennings was chasing a back pass with Simons hot on his heels.

Figureido came rushing out to help but instead seemed to confuse Jennings. As Jennings turned his body to clear he kicked the ball into Simons and the ball rebounded past the goalkeeper for Simons to touch home from eight yards.

Vasco nearly equalised three minutes later when Ottis Steede's free kick was not cleared, allowing both Larance Durham and Dwight Basden to have cracks at goal but the ball was eventually hacked away for a corner.

Dandy Town started the second half in the same fashion as the first, running at their opponents. And they scored their second just three minutes after the break.

Smith's in-swinging corner simply beat Figureido who might have been blinded as Tucker went up for the header. Jennings then made amends for his earlier mistake when he latched onto Sharrieff's 30 yard free kick in the 55th minute to slip the ball in from yards out.

Vasco then pushed foward in droves searching for the equaliser. And it almost came in the 87th minute.

As Jennings ran on to a through ball he was met at the edge of the area by Raynel Lightbourne. The ball popped in the air and the opportunistic Sinclair Gibbons pounced onto the loose ball and directed his shot towards goal.

But Jahmiko Marshall, who had been covering back, managed to slide and direct the ball on to the post and away for a corner.

Dandy Town calmed their fears and made sure of their place in the last four when Binns raced on to the ball and drilled home seconds from the final whistle.

Vasco: T.Figureido; K.Jennings, C.Roberts, D.Stapley, D.Sharrieff, O.Steede (C.Anderson 89 mins), T.Outerbridge, M.Wade (R.Lightbourne), D.Basden, S.Gibbons, L.Durham.

Town: A.Lightbourne; L.Furbert, D.Outerbridge, D.Bailey, J.Marshall, J.Wilkinson, P.Douglas (L.Christopher 75 mins), D.Boyles (D.Binns 65 mins), M.Smith (S.Tuzo), R.Tucker, D.Simons.

Referee: Gary Cooke Men of the match: Derek Stapley (Vasco); Reggie Tucker (Town)