WHITCHURCH departed the Hampshire Senior Cup after a sterling display against Conference South side Farnborough in front of just 96 people scattered around the impressive Cherrywood Road stadium.

The Sydenhams Wessex League side were by no means disgraced, with the home side’s second goal not coming until the last two minutes, and manager Carl Bennett was rightly proud of his players at the final whistle.

Bennett had to again ring the changes with Andre Manners and Chris Manning cup tied and Rudi Plummer not in the squad but welcomed back Ryan Lambert from suspension and Adam Pearson after a very brief sojourn at Bashley.

Whitchurch were initially reliant on the long ball to utilise the pace of Danny Phillips but it was too often over hit. Home keeper Ashley West had to leave his line smartly to deny the speedy striker after just five minutes.

West, who had some games for Whitchurch at the tail end of last season and whose handling was not the safest all evening, flapped away a Josh Harfield free kick and then turned Matt Austin’s follow up round the post.

The visitors were often forced on the defensive but Phillips and Jamie Mansell worried the home defence with their pace and persistence and Scott Hassall was only inches wide from a Phillips knock down.

The home side broke the deadlock six minues from the interval when the visitors lost the ball in midfield and a quick through ball left Amadeu Arnau clear to slot the ball past Brad Snelling – this their first shot of the game.

Within seconds of the restart after the break Whitchurch forced their way forward and there were strong appeals for a penalty as the ball struck a defender’s arm, but the referee opted for a free- kick on the edge of the area and West, who must have seen the ball very late, did well to turn away Jack McCarthy’s low drive.

The visitors were then forced to play with ten men for some minutes after Pearson collided with the pitchside barrier and West was in action again, hanging on to a Mansell effort at the second attempt.

Home skipper Lloyd Foot, who was at Andover Town last season, was high from distance before Andover moved Pearson up front and introduced Cole Hinchcliffe into the back four. Snelling held on to a dangerous cross in a crowded area before Farnborough made the game safe with just two minutes remaining.

The ever dangerous Culley pulled the ball back from the byline and a deflection off Harfield allowed Theophanus to poke the ball past Snelling from close range.

There were some tired Whitchurch legs at the end of the 90 minutes but the club can be proud of their efforts on the evening and they were a credit to themselves and the league.