REPORT: STRATFORD TOWN 1-0 UNITED

United’s FA Trophy campaign ended at the first hurdle as they were defeated by a single goal away at Stratford Town on Saturday afternoon.

Dan Vann struck ten minutes before the break and the hosts held on to progress.

Buoyed from their 3-0 win over Gainsborough Trinity last time out, United gave a debut return to Natty Peters following a loan spell at Radford, and there were places on the bench for youngsters Desmond Saane, Harry Goddard, and Kye Wade.

Early on, Matty Bowman’s deep cross after five minutes looked promising but just out of reach of the onrushing Brodie Litchfield in an otherwise humdrum first period.

Litchfield was cautioned minutes later, before a quite wonderful save from Kieran Preston – tipping onto his left-hand post- denied Callum Ebanks in the game’s first noteworthy chance after half an hour.

Litchfield then went down in the area under a clumsy challenge from Paul McCone, though all protests were waved off.

And the hosts went ahead soon after when a dangerous corner was powered home by the unmarked Vann six yards out and United trailed at the break.

The second period, albeit a tad better in terms of all-round quality, saw the first chance come 21 minutes after the restart when Preston again had to be at his sharpest to deny Ebanks from close range.

A Stratford corner then saw United break well and a dangerous cross from Litchfield saw substitute Tyler Dacres glance just wide of the far post.

The visitors rallied late on and had a deuce of chances to force a shoot-out; first Dom Roma’s deep cross flicked away off the wrong end off the crossbar before Jack Andrews forced Liam O’Brien into a smart save as the tie ticked into stoppage time.

Eventually, it wasn’t enough and United bow out of the Trophy at the maiden attempt and are back on the road for the long trip to Markse United next Saturday (3pm).

UNITED: Preston; Roma, Wakefield, Andrews, Ritzema; McGowan, Thornhill (c), Litchfield (Grist 81’), Bowman (Woakes 75’), Peters (Dacres 50’); Campbell
SUBS (not used): Goddard, Wade, Saane, Coke

ATT: 357 [26 away]