OXFORD City bowed out of the competition at the fourth qualifying round stage after a 1-0 home defeat against against Eastbourne at Court Place Farm on Saturday.

But the Southern League underdogs almost snatched a draw against The Blue Square premier outfit after Craig Faulconbridge's superb 20-yard shot smashed against the bar.

By then Eastbourne should have been out of sight, but a combination of poor finishing and some good defending from City, in particular keeper Ryan Harrison and centre back Andy Gunn, made it a tense finish.

City, who were without key men Andy Baird, Dave Savage and Jamie Brooks, took the game to Estbourne who had won only one of their last eight games.

After Mark Bell had forced a corner early-on, Eastbourne, whose front two of Andy Atkin and Allan Tait always looked threatening, started to come into the contest.

Gunn then had headed away a good cross from Matt Crabb, Harrison made a brilliant goal-saving block after Tait broke through on ten minutes.

The visitors were started to turn up the heat, but City's defence dealt with anything that was thrown at them.

Faulconbridge managed to get his head to a Mark Bell cross, but the angle was too acute to test the keeper.

Harrison caught some dangerous crosses as Eastbourne tried to get into the game and the home supporters were breathing a sigh of relief when Gunn made a brilliant saving tackle on Tait as he prepared to shoot inside the area, before Simon Wormull's long-range effort fizzed wide.

At the other end, Faulconbridge couldn't get enough power on his header from another Bell cross.

The second half was only two minutes old when Eastbourne took the lead. City's defence switched off as Wormull's free-kick was headed powerfully goalwards by Ben Austin with Darren Baker getting a final touch to beat Harrison.

Eastbourne nearly made it 2-0, but Atkin fired over.

Faulkner flashed two 25-yard efforts over the bar in quick succession as City tried to get back into the game.

Wormull should have double Eastbourne's lead, but fired wide before Harrison denied Tait.

It looked as though City were going to make Eastbourne pay for their lack of finishing on 71 minutes when Faulconbridge let fly with a terrific shot that rattled the bar only to bounce the wrong side of the line before being hacked away.

Faulconbridge then saw his free-kick hit the wall and Jon Gardner burst into the area only for his low cross to be scrambled away by Eastbourne.

Eastbourne substitute Lyle Taylor should have sealed victory, but fired straight at Harrison.

City kept battling away, but Eastbourne held out for victory.