The visitors went a goal down midway through the first half but were good value for their come from behind win against a Knights side reduced to 10 for the last 15 minutes after the dismissal of Damien Miskulin.

The last  time these two teams played on the national stage was 1986, Gully's last game in the NSL, when the Knights won 3-1.

Andrew Marth's side had also had the better of things in the just concluded NPL Victoria campaign, taking four points out of six in their two encounters.

But Gully finished clear of their rivals on the league table and although their NPL finals hopes were snuffed out last Friday when they were beaten by Oakleigh, they have plenty of life left in them where the FFA Cup is concerned.

Gully took little time to make a physical statement in this game,  Luke Walker picking up a yellow card in just the second minute for a heavy challenge on Nikola Jurkovic as they tried to impose themselves on their hosts.

And it nearly cost them dearly when Knights forward Stipo Andrijasevic got on the end of the ensuing free kick and directed the ball goalwards, his effort striking the woodwork.

The Knights made the early running, with former Wellington Phoenix midfielder Jason Hicks busy in the centre of the park and defender Ivan Grgic heading just over from Nicholas Glavan's corner.

It wasn't until Gully veteran Rody Vargas, a former A-League championship winning defender with Melbourne Victory, headed over in the 18th minute that the visitors had a meaningful effort on goal.

The Knights took the lead in the 23rd minute when a disorganised Gully defence failed to deal with James McGarry's free kick frm the left. The ball skidded around in the penalty area, and when Gully failed to clear Andrijasevic got the vital touch to prod the ball past Rani Dowisha in the Gully goal.

The lead was, however, short lived as Arthur Papas' Gully side regrouped and got back on level terms within five minutes.

Liam Boland, the hero of their upset win over A-League strugglers Central Coast Mariners in the last round, headed past Knights goalkeeper Fraser Chalmers after George Lambadaris got clear to cross from the left.

Nicholas Krousoratis should have put Gully ahead when he was played through with just Chalmers to beat, but the goalkeeper timed his challenge perfectly to dive at his feet and deny the striker.

However Krousoratis was able to make amends within a minute when he picked up the ball in the Knights penalty area, made space for himself and curled a shot inside Chalmer's left hand post to put Gully ahead.

The hosts picked up the tempo and almost levelled two minutes before the interval with a well worked move, Hicks cross from the right finding Andrijasevic. Alas for the Knights fans the forward, who had recently trialled with A-League side Phoenix, caught the ball well but volleyed straight at Dowisha.

Gully almost doubled their solitary goal lead in the 54th minute when Krousoratis again wriggled clear in the penalty area to get a shot off which was blocked only to fall to Walker, whose drive was kept out by Chalmers.

The goalkeeper was also busy in the 70th minute when he had to dive to keep out a shot from Evan Christodoulou as Gully looked for the goal that would surely kill this game off.

Things got worse for the Knights when second half substitute Miskulin was shown a second yellow card for bringing down Boland and given his marching orders by referee Jared Gillet.

It was almost a double punishment as from the resultant free kick from Jay Davies struck the crossbar.

Gully were now well on top, and moments later Davies was brought down by Nikola Jurkovic as he twisted in the penalty area. Gillet pointed ot the spot and although Chalmers guessed and dived the right way he could not get to Boland's penalty.

That gave Gully the breathing space they wanted, and although Dowisha had to dive to keep out McGarry's long range drive, the Knights never looked likely to get back on level terms.