STAG Meadow saw one of its biggest crowd (400) for years on Tuesday night – then it was plunged into darkness for 25 minutes.

A 100-amp fuse had blown when staff at the club used all of the ovens to heat post-match food for the players and guests.

Club chairman Peter Simpson said: “The ovens run on the same main and so the fuse blew.

“But we managed to find an electrician in the ground and it was simply a matter of putting another fuse in.”

No message was given out over the tannoy to the travelling fans, some of whom expressed concern over the lack of information, but those in the boardroom knew exactly what was happening.

Mr Simpson added: “We were all running around trying to get it sorted out.

“As soon as they failed our staff met with Vauxhall’s staff and we met with the match officials. We wanted to do our utmost for the game to continue because a replay would have meant Vauxhall Motors having to travel back down to us again.”

But the lights were fixed and the match officials gave the players five minutes to warm up again.

Windsor & Eton now have to travel to Vauxhall Motors for a replay on Tuesday night at 7.45pm.

The Royalists’ manager Dennis Greene is already thinking about travelling the night before and training in Vauxhall’s comprehensive indoor training facility to prepare them for the evening’s game.

Mr Simpson added: “Nothing has been finalised. But what I do not want to happen is some players travelling up later than others, that would be disruptive. I want us to travel all together.”