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By Joe Harbert
Ashford United’s FA Cup journey came to an abrupt end after they were beaten by Bracknell Town at Homelands on Tuesday.
The Nuts & Bolts were comfortably defeated by the Isthmian South Central side on the night, losing for the second time in just four days following their 2-1 league defeat to Phoenix Sports on Saturday.
It means the Kent outfit missed the opportunity to progress to the competition’s second qualifying round and pocket £2,250 in prize money, as they exited at the cup’s same stage for the second campaign running.
However, unlike on Saturday, Tommy Warrilow’s team didn’t get off to a flying start, conceding just 11 minutes into proceedings.
Just moments after Town’s Perry Coles effort smashed the post, Sebastian Bowerman cut inside onto his right foot before firing beautifully past United’s Sam Mott to open the scoring.
The Berkshire squad then quickly doubled their lead just nine minutes later when Max Herbert grabbed his first of the night and the team’s second.
Town’s number seven was fouled on the edge of the Ashford box, but subsequently stepped up to take the resulting free-kick which he sensationally arrowed to Mott’s right - once again leaving the United captain no chance to get his hands to the ball.
A relatively subdued half then followed, with the hosts coming closest through Johan ter Horst and Josh Wisson to getting the game’s third goal.
However, they maintained the ascendancy they created at the end of the half and did indeed get themselves back into the match on 60 minutes - Bradley Simms throw-in looping its way into the penalty area before going in off a Bracknell head.
Yet any hopes of a revival from the Homelands side was short-lived, as the Robins restored their two-goal lead just six minutes later.
Striker Joseph Grant was fouled inside United’s box, and Bowerman tucked the penalty away by firing straight down the middle of the goal to wrap up the win.
The visitors even had time to net their fourth to complete a well-deserved victory - Herbert grabbing his own double when he smashed the ball into the roof of the net for the icing on the cake.
United will hope to get back to winning ways when they travel to Ramsgate on Saturday.
Ashford: Mott, Ossai, Gorham, Richardson, Simms, Wisson, Steventon, Fagg, Condon (Anidugbe 68mins), Stone (Burdon 61mins), Ter Horst. Subs not used: Hook, Miles, Osinfolarin, Ogunrinde, Binder.
Bracknell Town: Scott, Dean, Genovesi, Nditi, Bayliss, Rees, Herbert, Soares (Knight 82mins), Coles (Rodgers 67mins), Grant (Ishmael 76mins), Bowerman. Subs not used: Dupray, White, Matthews.
Attendance: 243.
