WHITCHURCH Alport’s Emirates FA Cup campaign is over for another season after a disappointing 2-0 defeat at Westfields on Saturday.
First-half goals from Ben Miller and King Baidoo left the Reds with too much to do and the hosts ran out comfortable winners in the end.
Krystian Burzynski in the Alport goal denied Baidoo time and time again in the second-half or the scoreline might have been even more convincing.
Whitchurch were dealt a crushing blow in the days leading up to the tie when influential skipper, Darren Campion, suffered what looked like a serious injury during training, and depending on the diagnosis his campaign may well be over before it has even begun.
His presence and leadership were certainly missing in Herefordshire but attention now turns to this weekend’s FA Vase match with Littleton providing the opposition at the KMJ Mortgages Stadium, Yockings Park.
The Worcestershire side compete in the West Midlands League Premier Division and arrive at Yockings Park as firm underdogs.
This time Alport will start as firm favourites to go through although Reds director of football, Lea Edge, is warning the side to guard against complacency.
“It’s a case of back to the drawing board for us,” he said.
“We’ll get back on the training pitch this week and work on our shortcomings from the weekend match.
“Fitness wise we were much further on than them but they were always a handful in the attacking third and deserved to go through.
“We must bounce back in the FA Vase but as in any cup tie there is always the chance of an upset.”
Edge hoped the crowd would prove key.
“Littleton play in the regional leagues but they will have done their homework on us and can relax to some extent as they are not expected to progress.
“They will be coming to play on a fantastic surface and at a first-class facility with a sizeable crowd and they are not used to that.
“We have to be looking to making home advantage count and be ready to face the challenge.”
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