JACK Ross struck late on to send Ardley United through to the preliminary round of the Emirates FA Cup with a 3-2 home win over Tuffley Rovers, writes DALE JAMES.

The visitors were forced to field outfield substitute Marcus Foxwell in goal from the start, following a pre-match injury to keeper Christopher Perks.

But Ardley were unable to test him in the first half as Tuffley dominated.

Warren Mann gave the visitors a half-time lead, before Elias Katsoloudi and Carl Tappin put the hosts in front.

Ashley Davis fired Tuffley level, but Ross was on hand to score the winner nine minutes from time.

Manager Paul Davis was less than pleased with the overall performance after they had impressed in their Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division opener against Thatcham Town.

He said: “I didn’t think we played very well in the first half, after Tuesday night’s result at Thatcham it was rather a case of after the Lord Mayor’s Show.

“We certainly did not set up in training to be like that, although the boys were expecting a tough game, and that was certainly what we got.

“I said to the lads, Tuffley would work as hard as any other team in this division, and if we didn’t at least match their work rate then we would be out of the FA Cup – at half time that was exactly what was going to happen.

“Second half I felt we worked harder, but still not hard enough, we missed too many chances and we scraped through.

“The bottom line in cup competitions is not about how you do it, it’s about getting it done, and we’ve done it.”

Mann gave the visitors a deserved half-time lead, meeting a deep cross at the back post and looping a header in off the crossbar.

Katsoloudi levelled five minutes into the second half, striking first time from the edge of the area after the away side had failed to effectively clear a corner.

United then enjoyed their own spell of dominance, with Matt Cruse denied at close range by Foxwell after a good ball from Joel Meade.

There was nothing the stand-in goalkeeper could to prevent the hosts taking the lead just after the hour mark, with Meade involved again, this time pulling the ball back for Tappin to slot home.

Foxwell prevented Cruse and then Ade Talabi from making it safe, before Ardley found themselves pegged back against the run of play.

Stanley Brown seized on a mistake and teed up Davis to fire home.

But it was the hosts who would progress as, nine minutes from time, Talabi crossed for substitute Ross to fire in the winner and set up a home tie against Highworth Town in the next round on August 20.

Ardley Utd: Farrow, Daffern, Bayliss (Cox 20), Meade, Jackson (Ross 46), Cray, Tappin, Morris, Talabi (Markham 85), Katsoloudi, Cruse. Subs not used: Beesley, Jeacock.

Attendance: 71.