When Conference South side Havant & Waterlooville started their 2007-08 FA Cup campaign at the second-round qualifying stage with a tie against Bognor Regis Town, few would have expected Shaun Gale's men to still be in the competition at the turn of the year.

Yet, having dispatched Bognor, Havant then saw off fellow non-league clubs Fleet Town, Leighton Town and York City, before a meeting with founder members of the Football League Notts County ended in a 1-0 victory.

Next, in the third round, was Roberto Martinez's Swansea City, who were beaten in a replay 4-2, which landed the Havant squad, made up of odd-job men, taxi drivers and fitness coaches, a dream fourth-round tie away at Liverpool.

This was where Havant's FA Cup adventure was expected to conclude and while that would ultimately end up being the case, they gave the home team a scare at Anfield - not just once, but twice.

The tie was just eight minutes old when Mo Harkin sent over a corner into the Liverpool box for Richard Pacquette, who send a downward header bouncing into the net, much to the disbelief of the 6,000 Havant fans that had made the trip.

Liverpool's Lucas Leiva restored parity in the 27th minute, but just four minutes later, the side that were 123 places below their Premier League hosts regained the lead.

A mistake from full-back Steve Finnan saw the ball fall kindly for Alfie Potter and the on-loan winger's effort squirmed beyond the reach of deputy goalkeeper Charles Itandje courtesy of a deflection off Martin Skrtel.

Yossi Benayoun drew Liverpool level just one minute before the break and the Israeli would end any chance of the tournament's biggest ever upset occurring when he completed his hat-trick after the restart, with Peter Crouch also weighing in to make it 5-2 to Rafael Benitez's men.

Speaking after the final whistle, Benitez praised the minnows when he said: "They will have fantastic memories after this game. The atmosphere was good and it was fantastic for them to be here. It was even better for them to score one and two goals at Anfield.

"The FA Cup is like this, it's a fantastic competition. You can see a team progressing through the rounds and playing at Anfield even though they are five divisions below. That's how good, how amazing the FA Cup is."

Meanwhile, Havant boss Gale added: "To come to Anfield and produce a performance of that magnitude, I'm immensely proud of the players. People laughed when we said we would come to Anfield and have a go. But we well and truly came and had a go. That's the only way we can play.

"We have had a fantastic run, so for it to end at a stadium like this, you accept that. We frustrated them in the first half but, unfortunately, in the end class has shone through.

"I will remember everything about this day. It has been fantastic for the players. I told them to enjoy it but that they were not coming here for a party, they can have a party afterwards."

LIVERPOOL: Itandje; Finnan, Skrtel, Hyypia (Carragher), Riise; Pennant, Mascherano (Gerrard), Lucas, Benayoun (Kuyt); Crouch, Babel

HAVANT: Scriven; Smith, Jordan, Sharp, Warner (Taggart); Harkin, Wilkinson (Oatway), Collins, Potter; Pacquette (Slabber), Baptiste