Blues’ FA Cup run proves short-lived

Marlow 0, Uxbridge 1

Marlow’s run in this season’s FA Cup proved to be short-lived after they crashed out of the competition, losing 1-0 at home to Uxbridge at the first qualifying round stage.

Marlow came into the competition having suffered just one league defeat from four – in what's been a largely positive start to the season – however, they never got going at home to their Isthmian League South Central rivals.

After a minute’s silence was held to mark the passing of former Blues’ chairman and vice president, Keith Budd, the two teams got down to business with the visitors making the stronger start.

Before long they were ahead, with Victor Osobu smashing a wonderful effort past Marlow keeper Aaron Watkins from 25 yards.

That set the pattern for a disappointing first half for the hosts who were somewhat fortunate not to fall further behind with Uxbridge well on top and striking the woodwork twice more before the interval.

Juwon Akintude blazed over the bar for the visitors, from new signing Dan Williams’ pass and Osobu saw another effort, from a tight angle, come back off the post with Watkins well beaten. The woodwork came to the Blues rescue again in the 25th minute when Akintunde cut in from the right and curled a shot goalwards that hit the inside of the post and bounced across goal. The Blues improved after the interval and finally began to test the visiting keeper. Junaid Bell

(above) went close with an attempt that Matty Bonnett stretched to push over the bar. But in their efforts to get back into the contest, they overstepped the mark physically, and Curtis Ujah was dismissed for a high challenge on Bonnett from a free kick in the 78th minute.

To their credit the Blues continued to press for an equaliser and there were loud appeals for a penalty when Dawid Rogalski went down under a challenge from centre half Harry Seabrook in the area, but the referee was unmoved by the hosts’ protestations. Uxbridge should have wrapped the game up twice in injury time, first when Jack Beadle's shot hit the inside of the post – the third time they’d struck woodwork during the game, while Osobu missed the chance to grab a second when he latched onto a mistake in the Marlow defence but blasted high over the bar.

Afterwards Mark Bartley tweeted: “Not what we were after today. Ultimately, we weren’t good enough for long enough, to win the game. That aside, there were some abhorrent decisions by the officials that will never sit right with me.”