with Weymouth. In the 2006–07 season, the Hawks qualified for the promotion play-offs but were beaten in the semi-final by Braintree Town. The club met a Football League club in a competitive match for the first time in the 2006–07 competition, losing 2–1 to Millwall in a 'home' match which was played at Fratton Park. Baird resigned as manager on 1 October 2007 to become manager of Eastleigh and was replaced by Shaun Gale. In the 2007–08 FA Cup, the Hawks beat Bognor Regis, Fleet Town, Leighton Town, Conference Premier team York City and League Two club Notts County, before causing an even bigger upset by defeating League One side Swansea City 4–2 in a third round replay. In the fourth round, they played Premier League Liverpool at Anfield and caused a sensation by leading twice before eventually losing 5–2. Havant & Waterlooville player Alfie Potter, on loan at the time from Peterborough United, was voted 'Player of the Round'. The Hawks were involved in a relegation battle in the 2008–09 season despite being among the favourites to win the league at the start of the season, but ultimately secured Conference South survival with three games remaining. 2008–09 did, however, see diverting runs in the FA Cup (ending with a first-round home defeat to League Two Brentford) and in the FA Trophy (ending with a 2–0 defeat away to York City in the quarter-finals). In 2009–10, Havant & Waterlooville made a late run that almost got them to the playoffs but Woking pipped them to the post by one point. In July 2011, the club played a "once in a lifetime" game against La Liga side Real Betis, losing 7–0, after the Spanish club's original friendly opponents (Portsmouth) found themselves unable to play the game. The 2011–12 season was a poor one for Havant & Waterlooville, and after dropping to second from bottom in the league following a defeat at Basingstoke Town, Shaun Gale was sacked on 1 April. Assistant manager Steve Johnson and stadium manager/fitness coach Adrian Aymes were placed in charge on a caretaker basis. In a tense finale, the Hawks avoided relegation with literally the last kick by a Havant & Waterlooville player in the entire season; Joe Dolan's 93rd-minute winner in the final match against Staines Town ensuring that Maidenhead United (who believed themselves to be safe having scored a last-minute winner themselves) would fill the