Cambridge United crashed out of the FA Trophy despite facing ten men for 75 minutes of their Replay at Salisbury City.
Martin Ling again named a side without a number of key players. Danny Potter, Brian Saah and Paul Carden were still injured and Antonio Murray and Aiden Palmer Cup-tied. Mark Beesley came in as part of a three man attack alongside Robbie Willmott and Danny Crow.
Before the game had settled down into any rhythm, Salisbury found themselves down to ten men within a quarter of an hour. Simon Russell was the first to a loose ball inside his own half before being clattered by a late, studs up challenge from Stuart Anderson, who was given a straight red card.
Despite this early setback and the fact that United consequently enjoyed a great majority of possession, it was Salisbury who struck the opening goal. Fed by Bradley Gray, Matt Tubbs turned the defence and fired a brilliant finish across the helpless Laurie Walker and into the far corner.
The remainder of the first half followed a similar pattern, United seeing most of the ball, using the width of the pitch well but generally failing to test James Bittner in the Salisbury goal. The one time they did get a clear shot away, Jai Reason's rocket was superbly tipped wide.
Half time came and went and the second half couldn't have started any worse as Salisbury doubled their lead in bizarre circumstances. With United winning a freekick on the edge of their own area, goalkeeper Laurie Walker blasted his kick straight at nearby Darryl Coakley, with the ball falling to Robbie Sinclair inside the box with an open goal to aim at. Making no mistake, United found themselves with a mountain to climb.
The U's still kept most of the ball but continued to find chances hard to come by. Despite the possession Bittner only had a few real saves to make, getting down well to deny Reason and parrying a Willmott drive.
It almost came as a surprise when United got a goal back with ten minutes to go, as they finally sparked into life with Simon Russell's excellent left wing cross flicked into the far corner by Danny Crow. Three minutes later a through ball almost found substitute Lee Phillips, who was well charged down by Bittner.
The U's saw a massive majority of the ball in the closing stages but they continued to strive in vain for a chance that would force extra time. That didn't materialise and Salisbury City, despite playing for 75 minutes with ten men, ended Cambridge United's FA Trophy hopes for another year.
Man of the match- Jai Reason. In a hugely disappointing display by The U's against ten men, Reason was the only attacking player to come out with any real credit. He got forward well and didn't lose much by way of challenges in the midfield, while being the only player to cause James Bittner real problems.
Full minute-by-minute account below.
Matt Ramsay
19.15 Good evening everybody and welcome to The Raymond McEnhill Stadium for tonight's FA Trophy Third Round Replay between Salisbury City and Cambridge United. After a 0-0 draw this time last week, there has to be a winner tonight with extra time and penalties if necessary to decide who hosts Tamworth in the Quarter Finals.
19.35 The teams have just been announced. United still lack Potter, Saah and Carden due to injury, with Murray and Palmer Cup-tied.
Line ups: Salisbury City: James Bittner; Sean Clohessy, Luke Ruddick, Patrick Cox, Christopher Giles; Robert Sinclair, Bradley Gray, Stuart Anderson, Darrell Clarke (c), Ben Adelsbury; Matt Tubbs.
Subs: Ryan O'Hara, Reece Connolly, Christopher Flood, Toby Osman, Ryan Pryce.
Cambridge United: Laurie Walker; Dan Gleeson (c), Darryl Coakley, Josh Coulson, David Partridge; Sam Ives, Jai Reason, Simon Russell; Robbie Willmott, Mark Beesley, Danny Crow.
Subs: Rory McAuley, Adam Marriott, Jordan Patrick, Lee Phillips, Luke Berry.
19.42 Only the bravest of souls have made the journey down tonight, unsurprisingly there isn't a great number of United fans who have made the trip. The players are out on the pitch ready for this evening's fixture.
19.46 The U's are wearing their all blue away strip, while the hosts are in their traditional white shirts and black shorts. Salisbury kick off, shooting towards the end where The U's fans are housed.
19.47 A push by Josh Coulson gives The Citadels a freekick thirty yards out, but Stuart Anderson blasts his freekick at the wall.
19.48 Another freekick for the hosts nearly falls kindly at the far post, but Coulson is alert to hack the ball clear from within his six yard box.
19.52 Another kind bounce from a set piece nearly works out for the hosts, but again Coulson is on hand to clear the danger.
19.54 Danny Crow gets barged in the back on the very corner of the penalty area, but outside rather than inside. Robbie Willmott blasts the ball into a two man wall, and Simon Russell's second ball in lands for David Partridge who pokes the ball well wide.
19.55 Patrick Cox concedes a right wing corner under pressure from Mark Beesley, and a header across goal is shepherded out by Chris Giles.
19.58 Excellent defending by Darryl Coakley stops Bradley Gray from getting free on the right, and the youngster is quickly up to win the second ball as well. Simon Russell takes the ball up the other end and his cross is claimed by Bittner.
20.00 Robbie Willmott angles a ball out wide to the marauding Coakley, who wins a corner from his attempted cross. Willmott's ball is a poor one and Salisbury bring the ball away.
20.01 RED CARD. Simon Russell gets to the ball before Stuart Anderson, who catches him with a horrible late tackle. Russell looks hurt and Anderson is given a straight red card. After a spell of treatment, Russell is thankfully able to continue.
20.05 Salisbury have to play for 75 minutes with ten men, and look to have moved from 4-5-1 to 4-3-2. The U's need to exploit the midfield now as Salisbury won't have as much width. The first time United came here two years ago, the same thing happened as Salisbury had a player sent off within fifteen minutes.
20.12 No technical problems but there has been no action to speak of. United are unsurprisingly seeing most of the ball, spreading the play where possible, but are yet to test Bittner in goal.
20.13 Sam Ives wins a couple of fine challenges in a row, sparking praise from Paul Carden on the touchline. Jai Reason is playing a more attacking role tonight with Ives winning more challenges. Reason draws a foul, much to the irritation of the home support.
GOAL SALISBURY 1-0 CUFC. The ten men lead. A flick on from Bradley Gray finds Matt Tubbs, who turns Josh Coulson superbly and directs a brilliant finish across the helpless Walker and into the far corner.
20.19 Tubbs is nearly on target again, getting above his man from Luke Ruddick's delivery, but Walker gets down well to save to his right.
20.21 Giles is in the action at the other end, diverting Darryl Coakley's inviting cross behind cross for a corner. The ball is cleared to Jai Reason, who laces a cracking effort which is heading for the top corner before Bittner gets a wrist to the ball to save.
20.24 More bad news, CRC are 2-0 down at Mildenhall in the Cambridge Invitation Cup Quarter Final, though they are lacking their senior players who are on the bench for the first team tonight.
20.30 Every time United get forward, the ball ends up in Bittner's arms. United are still seeing plenty of the ball but still have only Reason's long range effort to show for it. One minute has been added on.
20.31 That's half time, United a man up but a goal down...
20.47 The teams are back out and United get us underway, kicking towards their fans. It looks like The U's have moved to 4-4-2. A key header from Josh Coulson prevents Salisbury breaking straight through.
20.48 Dan Gleeson unleashes a pile driver from wide on the right which Bittner spills several times before finally holding the ball.
GOAL SALISBURY 2-0 CUFC. Laurie Walker makes a howler and The U's are in all sorts of troubles. Walker kicks a freekick straight into the helpless Coakley, and the ball falls to Robbie Sinclair who has an open goal twenty yards out, and he promptly walks the ball home.
20.54 Robbie Willmott is beaten in the air, and in hitting the ground he lands awkwardly and lets out a great cry of pain. The referee immediately halts play, with Willmott needing extended treatment to his knee.
20.56 Willmott is back on, hopefully able to continue. Bittner spills yet another cross, this time from Coakley, but the keeper just reclaims the ball ahead of Danny Crow.
20.59 A ball falls to Willmott, who sees his effort charged down. Ives sees his effort blocked, and the ball falls to Simon Russell who cuts inside beautifully before firing too close to Bittner.
21.05 United don't look like scoring. CRC are 3-0 down at Mildenhall.
21.06 There are 592 present tonight, and those who have travelled from Cambridge will be wishing they hadn't.
21.07 Jai Reason is the only United player who has looked like scoring tonight. He cuts inside from the left and unleashes a daisy-cutter from just outside the box. Lee Phillips comes on for Darryl Coakley as Martin Ling looks to get a goal back. Twenty four minutes to go.
21.10 Robbie Willmott finds himself in some space down the middle but he is denied by Bittner, and when The U's need a second ball, it falls to a defender rather than one of three lingering attackers.
21.12 It isn't going to happen tonight. The U's win a fortuitous freekick, taken by Robbie Willmott and David Partridge flicks a header wide.
21.15 Willmott finds some space on the left but Chris Giles makes an excellent headed clearance at the expense of a corner. Bradley Gray comes off for Chris Flood.
21.18 Adam Marriott comes on for Mark Beesley. A thirteen minute cameo is more than he's been afforded of late.
21.21GOAL SALISBURY 2-1 CUFC. At last a good delivery from United, and they have hope with ten minutes to play. Simon Russell goes outside and delivers a beauty of a left wing cross which is attacked well by Danny Crow, who glances a textbook header across Bittner and into the far corner.
21.25 Two chances in a minute for The U's, a through ball almost found Lee Phillips but he was charged down by Bittner, and then Danny Crow scuffs a back post volley when a ball looks to fall for him.
21.27 Danny Crow scampers down the line but is just unable to get the ball into the danger zone. Four minutes to go, United are seeing all of the ball but it all rests on whether they can create a clear cut chance to get an equaliser that would send us into extra time.
21.31 Simon Russell loses the ball on half way, Tubbs chases through looking to finish the tie but is brought down by the recovering Russell. He is perhaps a touch lucky to only be booked. Four minutes have been added on for The U's to save their Trophy campaign.
21.35 Tubbs breaks through to seal it, but his effort is struck at Walker. That spells the end of the tie, and despite playing against ten men for 75 minutes Cambridge United are out of the FA Trophy.
FINAL SCORE, Salisbury City 2-1 Cambridge United.
