Paulton Rov 0

Didcot Tn 1 (Osborne-Ricketts 90+2)

An injury-time goal from Elliott Osborne-Ricketts earned Didcot a place in the third qualifying round draw for the first time in the club’s history on Saturday (FA Cup 2nd qualifying round).

The Railwaymen’s success at Paulton puts them in the draw, made at lunch-time today.

The day began frustratingly for Didcot, when their team bus became stuck in traffic near Bristol, and the kick-off had to be delayed by 15 minutes.

Despite their disrupted preparations, it was the visitors who started on the offensive, and only a brilliant low save by Rovers keeper Kyle Phillips prevented Alex Stanley shooting them into a third minute lead.

The hosts, who top Zamaretto Southern League Division 1 South West, will feel aggrieved at not taking the lead in the opening half.

Three times they had the ball in the Didcot net only for them to be ruled out for offside.

The first of these came on 15 minutes when Daine O’Connor was adjudged offside after ‘converting’ Chris Lane’s cross.

The assistant’s flag again came to Didcot’s rescue when Lane fired the ball past Sam Warrell from a tight angle.

Incredibly, a third Rovers’ effort was ruled out after O’Connor finished in style.

Didcot were also unhappy with the officials when Andy Gunn was clearly tugged back in the box by Ollie Price, but no penalty was awarded.

Paulton had a great chance to edge in-front early in the second half, but O’Connor dragged his shot inches wide.

Then only a superb clearance off the line by Lee Marshall prevented Josh Dutton-Black’s header from putting Didcot ahead.

Jamie Heapy also spurned the chance of shooting at goal when well-placed and Michael Bartley headed over from an Osborne-Ricketts cross.

Then in the second minute of stoppage time, Didcot sprung a quick attack down the right.

Dutton-Black’s resulting cross eluded the diving Phillips and fell to Osborne-Ricketts at the far post.

After initially falling-over his own feet, he showed great calmness to regain his balance, send a lunging defender the wrong way, and fire home with the outside of his left-foot.

Paulton, the competition’s non-league heroes last season’s after reaching the first round, should have levelled but Claridge headed wide.

Didcot’s win goes some way to avenging last year’s defeat at the Loop Meadow in at the same stage.

Didcot: Warrell, A Williams, M Williams (Hopkins 52) Heapy, Stanley, Gunn, Dutton-Black, Huggins (Mortimer-Jones 76), Bart-ley, Osborne-Ricketts, Draycott (Witt 62).

Attendance: 279.