City’s dalliance with the FA Cup for this season ended almost as soon as it had started as they were well beaten in this extra-preliminary round tie against fellow SCEFL side Corinthian.

City struggled to get going and in a game that was very frustrating and disappointing to watch they could find little to put the hosts under any serious pressure and never looked likely to stage any sort of comeback once Corinthian had opened the scoring.

A scrappy start saw little to note in the first fifteen but City’s Adam Woollcott did slice a shot wide and then also saw an attacking left-sided free-kick curl low and just the wrong side of the post while Corinthian responded when a decent break down the left from Bassey-Steven Ita saw his inviting cross just elude Luke Tanner arriving at the far post.

The first goal for the hosts arrived on sixteen minutes when a free-kick sent in from the right was flicked on and Jack Billings rose to head home unchallenged for 0-1.

Although it’s fair to say City had a lot of possession for the rest of the half, what little they created was lacking in quality and it was Corinthian who were closest to adding to the score sheet in the run-up to the break. Josh Froggatt was a yard or two away from Rob Lawrence’s cross who also saw a shot comfortably saved by home keeper Aiden Prall, while Jordan Casey saw a hopeful header simply loop up for an easy keeper’s catch.

A spell of pressure from City then saw them win three quick corners, two of which came about from a couple of Woollcott shots being deflected off target by defenders, but still they weren’t really able to cause the keeper any undue alarm. Kane Phillip down the left wing was looking dangerous on the too few occasions he actually got the ball, while his counterpart on the right Froggatt was also suffering from a lack of supply.

With a minute of the half remaining another Woollcott free-kick in a very promising position was fired straight at the wall, but despite City quickly winning back the ball, the attack then just faded to nothing. On the stroke of half-time they were fortunate not to go two behind when a free-kick into the City box found Billings again but his miscued header simply dropped down in front of him where he still had time to have another chance – stabbing the ball just wide from close range.

Hardly a pulsating cup tie, but Corinthian, a goal up and holding City far too easily at arm’s length.

City spurned two opportunities to soon gain parity after the break when a Jordan Casey free-kick succeeded in only knocking over an opponent in the wall, while a Phillip well won corner fizzled out to nothing.

Corinthian were far more with it though and despite City keeper Jack Delo’s tumbling, but straightforward save from an Oscar Housego effort, he could do nothing about Corinthian’s second goal that arrived on fifty-four minutes. A regulation punt from the back bounced on and over the City defence and Michael Hurcombe found himself strolling through free with too much time and too much space and with Delo starting to come out of his goal, the ball was simply, cleverly and accurately lobbed well over his head for 0-2.

From that point on there was little sign that City might fight their way back into the game. Changes were made with the introductions of Dave Pilcher and James Turner, both of whom acquitted themselves well in what time remained while the lively Phillip continued manfully to plug away unsuccessfully down the right. Overall it was an uninspiring performance from City though and there only looked likely to be one winner. A free header from a corner was headed out by Dan Keyte right in front of goal to prevent a certain Corinthian third, while Delo was forced to save a shot from Housego and then tip a thirty-yarder from Bradley Large over the bar.

The best that City could offer in muted response were two long throws from Casey and a swept-in cross from the same player – all of which failed to find any City player anywhere near the vicinity. Almost inevitably a third goal duly arrived for Corinthian when in the sixty-eighth minute, City lost possession in midfield and after a telegraphed and unchallenged simple one-two between Ita and Housego, the latter found himself in acres of space in the City box and despite stumbling still had time to stroke the ball across Delo and into the net for 0-3 – it was all just far too easy and predictable. The hosts then nearly bagged another when a cracking run down the left from Ita saw his cross volleyed first time just wide as everyone expected the net to bulge.

Another change saw Arlie Desanges join the fray for City but the game had long since been lost and despite, in the closing stages, Phillip and Pilcher both firing well over and Casey seeing his shot on the turn charged down, the result was never really in doubt and City’s FA Cup journey for this season was just simply today a small step too far.

Final score: Canterbury City 0 Corinthian 3

City: Jack Delo, Michael Turner, James Nurden, Dan Keyte, Liam Quinn, Joe Nelder, Josh Froggatt (Dave Pilcher), Adam Woollcott (Arlie Desanges), Jordan Casey, Rob Lawrence (James Turner), Kane Phillip
Unused subs: Emmanuel Ndah, Liam Middleton, Stefan Lawrence, Laurence Harvey