FA Cup second qualifying round: Abingdon Utd 0, Croydon Ath 5

Abingdon United were outgunned by Ryman League Division 3 high-fliers Croydon in the first qualifying round at Northcourt Road.

Action from Saturday's game

United, missing top strikers Carl Henry and Kai Ridley, who both failed late fitness tests, missed the cutting edge up front and never looked like penetrating the visitors' defence.

At the other end, it looked only a matter of time before the goals arrived, with Athletic averaging six goals a game in their last six outings.

Croydon's first came on the quarter hour when Fowler seized on the ball on the edge of the area and his shot flew into the top corner with Paul Tassell helpless.

The home side rallied with a couple of long range efforts but Fowler gave warning of what was to come when he headed straight into Tassell's arms and again connected with a chipped pass, only to be denied by the keeper.

With half-time looming, Abingdon were hit again when Jones met a long ball to fire a powerful volley home from 20 yards.

Within ten minutes of the break the game was all over as Croydon got the third and there was no way back for United. A dangerous corner was knocked away by Tassell but it fell to Liddle, who forced it into the net.

Abingdon pushed up boldly in search of goals, but Jason Maciak and Adam Hamp got scant reward for their efforts.

Their best chance came when defender Danny Riley looked to get a header over the advancing keeper, but was laid out after the collision.

In truth, Abingdon did not record a shot which required a save from the visitors' keeper in the whole game.

With ten minutes to go, United were reduced to ten men when Hamp was sent off for verbal abuse to a linesman and Liddle cashed in with two more goals in the 86th and 89th minutes to complete his hat-trick.