LITTLE Oakley were knocked out of the FA Cup at the extra preliminary round stage after losing 2-1 to FC Clacton, writes LARRY DOBKIN.

The Acorns started the brighter and it was not long before a floated ball into the Clacton box saw a scramble between seven players.

Clacton had several opportunities to clear the ball but were unable to get the ball to safety.

The ball eventually fell to N Rowe who toe-ended the ball past the keeper only for the referee to blow up for an infringement.

Much of the game was played in midfield with both sides trying to gain an advantage.

Oakley were having the better of possession and continued to attack when James weaved a ball through the Clacton defence finding D Rowe sprinting through onto goal.

With the keeper coming out, Rowe managed to put the ball wide of Avenell who crashed into Rowe leaving him poleaxed on the floor allowing the ball to go out of play.

Surprisingly a goal kick was awarded, and no further action taken regarding the blatant charge on Rowe.

Oakley were getting on top when a speculative shot from D Rowe saw Avenell scrambling across his goal, but the ball went inches wide of the far post.

With the Oakley midfield getting more possession, a ball was played down the line to Mann.

He killed the ball dead laying the ball across the area to the on-coming Garrard who placed the ball passed Avenell to give Oakley the lead.

The goal seemed to sharpen Clacton up and a good ball through the center of Oakley defence saw their big centre-forward get between Wood and Sibbons and try to chip keeper Bedingfield.

But Bedingfield managed to get hands on the ball and concede a corner.

The play was now end to end when a long goal-kick fell to Garrard who took an instant shot which hit the bar and went out of play.

In the final action of the first half, FC Clacton were in the Oakley area where the ball fell to the visitors centre-half, who swung at the ball but only managed an air shot.

The ball was still at his feet, resulting in a toe poke that saw the ball go wide of the post.

Clacton started the second half on fire and levelled within a minute after the restart.

From a speculative long pass that the Oakley defence did not deal with, the visitors netted from a simple tap-in to equalise.

Clacton gained possession from the kick-off and went straight up field attacking the Oakley goal.

A long ball into the Oakley half was contested by Sibbons and the Clacton centre-orward who got to the ball first and calmly played the ball passed the out coming Bedingfield to give the visitors the lead.

The game then started to become more aggressive with players from both Oakley and Clacton getting booked.

The football became fractured with Clacton slowing the game down at every opportunity with a series of injuries and time-wasting activities.

Oakley had several quick attacks with Wood heading wide from a corner, Rodger striking a shot which hit the bar and Mann going very close in the last minute.

However, FC Clacton were able to see out victory and progress to the next round.

Oakley's man of the match was Ed Nobbs who never put a foot wrong all afternoon.