A 23rd minute penalty sunk the sky blues at Gossmore Lane yesterday afternoon despite creating opportunities to claim the tie. Marlow will rue those missed opportunities but can be satisfied that they performed to a level that yet again belied the difference between steps 6 and 7. Finchampstead, organised and resolute, will be equally pleased with a result and perfrormance that sends them into the next round.

For United it was one of those days when nothing would go right from the moment the penalty was awarded, a penalty that was disputed but I was to far away to judge. I felt United did enough to win the match but there again I'm sure Finchampstead would contest this and a draw may well have been a fair result. However as I stated a few weeks back, if you don't score you don't win and that was the case for the sky blues yesterday and we move on but not without mentioning the return of Tristan Heywood who performed like he had never been away and the 38 year old Heywood can be extremely pleased with his contribution.

In the same competition Newbury Town went down 4-2 to Mortimer in a rare defeat.

In the league Berks County drew 3-3 with Highmoor while Taplow narrowly beat Cookham Dean 3-2. Reading YMCA v Unity was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch therefore there was no change in the top three.

Next week United travel to local rivals Taplow United hoping to keep their title push on track.