Boro burst Bowers & Pitsea’s cup bubble
FARNBOROUGH booked their place in the FA Trophy first round proper with a comfortable 4-1 win over Isthmian League Premier Division side Bowers & Pitsea.
The Essex outfit were enjoying an excellent season in the cup competitions, having already knocked Aldershot Town out of the FA Cup to set up a mouth-watering tie at League One Lincoln City.
The visitors began brightly and took a deserved seventh minute lead through Ade Osifuwa, who calmly finished when unchallenged in the box after playing a one-two with Danny Norton.
Boro responded 10 minutes later when Ricky Holmes turned his marker inside the box and curled a right-footed strike into the net that was out of reach for goalkeeper Mitchel Beeney.
The turnaround was completed on 34 minutes with a lightening quick counter-attack from a Bowers corner. Luca Albon was robbed of possession and quick work from Sam Deering and Holmes set Farnborough racing from one end of the pitch to the other, and John Oyenuga guided a left-foot effort into the far corner.
Boro kept their opponents quiet at the beginning of the second half and extended their lead on 71 minutes. James Thomas under-hit a backpass to Beeney and Farnborough’s stand-in striker Michael Fernandes was alert to nip in first and place the ball into an empty net.
Bowers & Pitsea almost found a way back into the game after a loose pass allowed Bradley Sach the chance to strike at goal from distance, but goalkeeper Dante Baptiste’s fingertips deflected the ball onto the post and away.
Farnborough then scored a controversial fourth in stoppage time to wrap the game up. Beeney struck a clearance against Boro substitute Connor Cullen and the ball fell to Deering, who looked offside, but he laid the ball off to Cullen who rolled it into the net.
Farnborough return to league action against Tiverton Town at the Easy As HGV Stadium on Saturday, kick-off at 3pm.