FA Cup Extra preliminary round Keynsham Town 0 Saltash United 1

THIS was without doubt the Ashes' finest display so far this season as they came away from Bristol with a deserved victory over their opponents from the Screwfix Premier. Ashes manager Eddie Shapland, although absent at a wedding, was delighted with his side's result, saying: 'Considering the loss of three key players prior to the game this must rank as one of our results of the season so far. 'Nigel Menhenick and I sat down on Thursday and were struggling to form the side and all power to him and the players for gaining the result and a chance for the club to gain much-needed revenue and recognition from a cup run,' he added. The Ashes reward, if one can term it as such, is a trip to Southern League side Evesham United in the preliminary round next Saturday. Saltash began at a gallop, forcing their hosts to defend in depth for the first 20 minutes, during which time the visitors created enough scoring chances to have had the tie in the bag. Seven minutes had passed when Andy Bowker's through ball found Paul Baker in the area only for the striker to send his left-footed drive past the post. Craig Holman then let fly with a 20-yard angled drive which crashed against the junction of post and bar. A Steve Sims free kick from the left caused havoc in the home area, with a Chris Menhenick header going wide until Baker headed the ball back into the danger area where goalkeeper Amin Jones punched the ball to safety. The home side's first real effort at goal came in the 26th minute when a low right-wing cross found Dean Maggs sliding in to send the ball just wide of Nick Phillips's post. The second half was more even, although the Ashes appeared to be the fitter of the two sides. Travis Carter's long-range effort was safely grabbed by Phillips before the visitors finally made the breakthough 22 minutes from time. A surging Bowker run down the middle ended with him playing in Dennis Mason, who easily slipped past his marker before crossing for Baker to side foot home from 10 yards. Saltash should have sewn up the tie six minutes from the end as Craig Holman swapped pasess with Baker before hitting a 12-yard piledriver that cannoned off the underside of the crossbar.