A disastrous opening nine minutes of the game ended this match as a contest as FC whimpered out of the FA Cup without as much as a fight. As in the previous week’s debacle versus Dunstable, a combination of poor defending, lack of determination in the midfield and powderpuff attacking all contributed to the team’s downfall. Four away goals in the first half and one goal each in the second added to a superb away win for the visitors from Gloucestershire and a calamitous one for the hosts.

The game was only two minutes old when a cross from the right hand side was met by Matt Bennett who rose above a static defence to nod the ball home. If that was a shock to the system, the very next Shortwood move just two minutes later compounded the dark mood even further. The ball bounced between FC defenders and United’s Adam Mann. Mann easily sidestepped a challenge and hit a low shot into the bottom corner of the net. The next hammer blow occurred on nine minutes. Again there was indecision on the edge of the FC box and Duncan Culley lofted the ball over Rhys Marshall to the delight of his teammates.

It was half an hour before FC had their 1st chance, a sweet turn and shot from Gareth Price which struck the bar. It was only to be a brief respite from the United attacks however and normal service was resumed on 29 minutes as Matt Bennett strode in from left before hitting a skimming shot past the outstretched hand of keeper Marshall to make it 4-0. As the half came to its conclusion, Price, one of the few FC men to play with anything resembling conviction, played in Brian Haule. His well struck shot was straight at the keeper who pushed the ball to safety.

With the game virtually safe, Shortwood could sit back in the 2nd half and allow FC to attack. In the first minute Sonny French had an opportunity but couldn’t control the ball as it bobbled in a congested penalty area. Gareth Price and then shortly afterwards substitute Jerome Federico both attempted to find men in the box with crosses but again the lack of a quality striker meant their efforts came to nothing.

To somehow tease with their hosts, James Baldwin broke for the visitors on the hour mark and his low shot was saved well by Marshall. Shortly after Brian Haule had spurned a decent near post opportunity, another incursion into the visitor’s box saw the ball bobble to Lee Grant who smashed the ball home to add a modicum of respectability to the scoreline. The scoring still hadn’t finished however. As the FC defence dawdled, Cullum Brown received the ball, took it around Rhys Marshall and slotted the ball into a deserted net to leave the small band of travelling fans very happy and those home fans still left wondering just what on earth had happened.

Line Up
1 Rhys Marshall.
2 Danny Dyer.
3 Matt Hall.
4 Kwasi Frempong. Man of the Match
5 Lee Grant. Goal 69' Yellow Card 88'
6 Nick O'Donovan. Sub Off 36
7 Sonny French.
8 Davis Haule.
9 Brian Haule.
10 Lamar Simpson.
11 Gareth Price. Sub Off 68

Subs Used
12 Jerome Federico. Sub On 36
15 Elias Armah-Tackie. Sub On 68

Subs Not Used
17 Jack Thomson.
14 Ollie Hogg.
16 Alex Kedzierski.