As the fog descended on Broadhall Way, Stevenage Borough eased into the second round of the FA Cup with a workmanlike performance against Hastings.
The game was settled with the first meaningful attack of the game. A Jude Stirling long throw from the right was met with an appropriate bullet header from Richard Howell, which left Hastings keeper David King with no chance.
Hastings immediately began a fightback and fine distribution by keeper King found Landry Zahana-Oni in the middle of the park.
His sliderule pass went to Nick Hegley. He beat Stirling's lunging tackle and shot well, but Mark Westhead was up to the challenge.
A goalmouth melee on the half hour almost resulted in Boro's second. A mix-up in the Hastings defence saw King leave the ball, but despite several attempts to bury it, the ball wouldn't go in.
Just before the break a superb run from wing-back Simon Travis down the right flank saw his low cross met by Boro striker Jack Midson and his first-time volley flew just over the upright.
Hastings emerged from the second half with the grit between their teeth and tore into Boro with enthusiasm. There was some superb work by Duncan McArthur down the right side.
His cross found Zahana-Oni in a crowded penalty box, but his goalward flick was blocked on the line by Stuart Fraser.
The pressure began to ease on Boro by the hour mark and a fine move in the midfield found Howell spraying a beautiful pass to Michael Blackwood on the right wing. He cut past his covering defender and drove the ball across the Hastings goal.
The ball rebounded off the post when the majority of the fans were celebrating prematurely.
As the game drew to a close and the Hastings fans desperately needed their team to fight back, Adam Flanagan and Zahana-Oni took this to extremes with an elbow in the face and a head-butt.
Both fouls resulting in straight red cards for the team from the South Coast