It was 48 years since Notts County had lost to non-league opposition in front of their own fans in the FA Cup, but nobody could deny that Havant & Waterlooville fully deserved to achieve a major shock.
They were the better side from start to finish, belying the fact that there are two divisions between them and League Two Notts.
The winner came three minutes from the end when it was beginning for all the world to look as if the sides would replay and it was a decider to send 200 visiting fans wild with joy.
In front of the goal, behind which they were seated, Havant broke quickly through the middle and, with Notts expecting an offside decision against Rocky Baptiste, no flag was raised.
Baptiste was offside but, crucially, not interfering with play and it was substitute Tony Taggart who kept possession, took advantage of a rebound and saw his shot bobble just over the goal-line to the despair of Notts goalkeeper Kevin Pilkington.
In five added minutes Notts had a great equalising chance, but Lawrie Dudfield who had a poor afternoon, aimed his header over the bar of the underworked visiting goalkeeper Kevin Scriven.
Earlier the better chances had fallen to the enterprising visitors.
In the first half when Havant won a corner, man of the match Jamie Collins delayed his run to the last moment. Then he met the flag kick perfectly only for his header to flash over the top.
Early in the second half came one of the best moves of the match, inevitably from the Hawks.
Lively right winger Mo Harkin got past Paul Mayo and finished with a low drive which PIlkington scrambled away at the foot of his near post.
Despite three second-half substitutions by manager Ian McParland, Notts were simply unable to get into the game and the final whistle was greeted by prolonged booing from their hugely disappointed fans.