Willie Clemons, the Braintree Town midfielder, is still buzzing over his team’s recent triumph against Farnborough FC in the third round of the Isuzu FA Trophy.

The visitors prevailed 5-4 on penalties at Easy As HGV Stadium, with the national team player converting from the spot during the shootout, and Clemons feels the victory was a vital one for his club who play in the National League South, the sixth tier in the English football pyramid.

“It’s an important result for the club as a whole,” he added. “Massive boost financially at this level but also provides us players with another great opportunity to showcase ourselves against good opposition on a good platform.”

Clemons and his team-mates squandered the lead twice with Farnborough grabbing a late equaliser to send the cup tie to extra time and ultimately penalties.

“We didn’t make it easy for ourselves conceding twice after being ahead and needing penalties,” Clemons added. “But overall I’d say it was a deserved result.”

Town will hit the road again to face Vanarama League side Eastleigh in the next round at The Silverlake Stadium on January 14.

Clemons says he and is team-mates are looking forward to measuring up against their opponents who play a tier above them.

“It’ll be a good test for us against opposition in a higher league and again a chance to get ourselves in the shop window,” he added. “A chance to show what this group we have is capable of collectively and individually.

“It’s huge for the club in terms of turning around recent history and give the community something we can really be proud of, but it’s another game where we have to show up and get the job done.”

Town are ninth in the National League South standings, four points adrift of the promotion play-off positions.

“We’ve done well to get a good head of steam going, picking up results early on and establishing a great home record,” Clemons said.

“That’s given us a platform to go on and do well, competing at the sharper end of the table this far. Long may it continue.”