Thatcham Town 5 Petersfield Town 0: PETERSFIELD Town’s journey along the road to Wembley was over almost as soon as it began at the weekend.

The Rams fell to a heavy defeat at the hands of Hellenic League Premier Division side Thatcham Town on Saturday in the Extra Preliminary Round of the FA Cup.

They went behind after only six minutes when home defender Henry Owen sent a powerful header from midfield towards the right hand corner of the pitch. Paul Massaquoi tried to guide the ball out but Thatcham’s Joe Blout kept it in and crossed low across the face of goal to give Harry Grant a simple tap-in.

Thatcham went close to doubling their lead on 21 minutes when a corner was only partially cleared and Shane Cooper-Clark’s cross was flicked towards goal and when Ekow Elliot tried to apply the finishing touch, his header hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced clear.

Rams keeper George Hill raced off his line twice to prevent further goals and on 37 minutes Blout got clear of Massaquoi again only to see his shot deflected into the side netting.

Thatcham eventually got their second goal four minutes after half time when a cross from the right was only partially cleared by Ben Neal and the ball went straight to the feet of Elliot, who had the time to guide his shot into the net.

Two minutes later Grant raced clear of the visiting defence but pulled his shot across the face of the goal with only Hill to beat.

The third goal came on 65 minutes when Hill was judged to have brought down a Thatcham player who burst through into the penalty area and Cooper-Clark sent the Rams keeper the wrong way with his spot kick.

Elliot was put through one-on-one with Hill but again Thatcham’s shooting boots deserted them in front of goal and his shot was skewed wide of the target.

The introduction of substitutes Harry Giles and Joe Boxall gave Petersfield a little more attacking impetus in the final quarter of the game and Josh Wycherley’s low shot straight at keeper Chris Rackley on 75 minutes was the visitors’ first chance on goal in the game.

Thatcham stretched their lead further on 83 minutes following quick passing play from a throw in on the left. Substitute Dylan Knight got clear inside the penalty area and then rifled his shot into the roof of the net from an acute angle.

The fifth goal came two minutes later via more quick passing and movement down the left. Substitute Jemel Johnson was not challenged as he made his way into the box and he had the time to fire his low shot into the net.

Petersfield: Hill, Neal, Massaquoi, Wycherley, Boggild, Brown, Elward (Giles), Kendall, Walker (Boxall), Powell, Tremlett (Kershaw). Subs not used: Beauchamp, Bedford, Eaton.