The last time Port Vale hosted a non-league side at home in the FA Cup they were on the wrong side of an upset against King’s Lynn in 2020, and for a few brief minutes early on at Vale Park they were on the way to becoming another – much bigger – scalp.
Maldon & Tiptree, who shocked Leyton Orient at the same stage in 2019, took the lead when Cameron James whipped an early cross into the box for Lewis to volley home from close range.
For 10 minutes, the 383 fans in the away end were in dreamland, before two goals in two minutes turned the tide, and settled any nerves among the home fans.
Paton rifled home the equaliser from 20 yards after a neat turn on the edge of the box, before Hall volleyed in Cole’s delivery from eight yards out less than a minute later.
Hall and Paton combined to add a third two minutes later, the latter firing home on the turn from the former’s cross.
Any hopes the stunned visitors had of getting back into the game were extinguished five minutes after that, when Cole smashed home a fourth via the underside of the crossbar from close range.
Only a fine save from visiting keeper Elliot Justham prevented home captain George Byers adding a fifth, before Paton fired just wide and Justham blocked another goal-bound effort.
Kevin Horlock’s side found it just as hard after the break to keep pace with their League opponents, but did put bodies on the line to stop Paton and Cole adding to their respective tallies.
Both were involved when the fifth did arrive, however, as Cole poked home from Paton’s corner following Byers’ flick-on.
