It’s a case of one step forward, two steps back as Uxbridge’s season continues to baffle even their most hardened supporters. After causing the upset of the First Round of the FA Trophy by winning at Welling, the Reds crashed out of the competition at Sharpenhoe Road to a side tailed off at the bottom of Ryman Division One with only four points to their name and whom they had beaten 8-2 earlier in the season. On a heavily sanded pitch which was barely playable Uxbridge found themselves two goals behind after just twelve minutes, and only had themselves to blame. In the third minute Paul Donnelly broke away on the left and hit a shot which crept in under goalkeeper Neil Burns, the worst possible start for the teenager making his debut in place of the injured Sean Dawson. Nine minutes later Burns was picking the ball out of the back of the net again though this time there was no blame apportioned to him. Stuart Bamford lost possession to Keith Coughlin on the edge of the penalty area and in trying to undo his error brought the Rovers striker down inside the box. Chris Jones fired in the penalty and the Reds couldn’t believe their eyes. Inbetween the two goals though Uxbridge thought they had equalised when Stuart Bamford headed home Dean Clark’s corner but despite seeming to give the goal referee Mr Taylor changed his mind and ruled it out. It was to be the first of a number of controversial decisions from the man allegedly in charge of proceedings. Despite tempers beginning to flare Uxbridge did pull themselves back into the game midway through the first half when Chris Moore played a perfect pass into the path of Lee Tunnell and his shot slipped in through goalkeeper Graham Wraight’s legs. With the Reds now finally beginning to settle they then drew level eight minutes later. Dean Clarks’ free kick was deflected into the path of Moore and he slotted home the equaliser. After that it was all Uxbridge and Stuart Bamford, Mark Gill and Clark all went close with efforts which would have given their side the lead, and the last thing the Reds wanted was to hear the half time whistle. With so many sparks flying in the first half it was expected that Uxbridge would come out for the second at full power but if anything it felt like someone had pulled the plug during the interval. Two minutes after the break Nathan Buckland drove home a shot from the edge of the area which gave Burns no chance and restored Barton’ s lead. All the hard work in getting back into the game was duly undone in that split second. Gill forced Wraight to push his header round the post shortly afterwards but after that Uxbridge could never sustain the pressure they imposed in the first forty five minutes and the game degenerated into a patchy affair only enlivened by a few frantic goalmouth scrambles in the Barton penalty area and some quite frankly bizarre decisions from Mr Taylor. Burns saved well from Barton substitute Stuart Lochhead to keep his side in the game but with time running out the Reds attacks became more and more desperate. After almost ten minutes of stoppage time Mr Taylor finally blew his whistle leaving Uxbridge out of another major cup competition and having to focus once again back on Division One survival.

BARTON ROVERS: Wraight, Hoy, Chapman, P.Donnelly, Turner, Juneja, Payne, Buckland (Lochhead 55), Coughlin, Jones (B.Donnelly 88), Crook.

Sub not used: Endersby

UXBRIDGE: Burns, Mills, Granville, K.Cleary, S.Bamford, Walters, G.Bamford, Gill, Tunnell, Moore, Clark (Carter 62).

Subs not used: Harrison, Roberts