Salisbury have progressed to the Third Round of the Isuzu FA Trophy for the first time after a three-nil win at the Ray Mac against Farnborough.
Two goals from Noah Coppin either side of a Callum Watts howitzer gave Salisbury victory over their National League South rivals on a grey afternoon.
Farnborough started the brighter of the two sides in a combative first half and were the first to test having an effort on target. Clark found Haigh with a good cross, but the Boro forward’s header was straight at Dan Lincoln.
Salisbury were the next to have a chance at goal, Josh Sommerton heading over from an Owen Dore corner with 18 minutes on the clock.
The home side were growing into the game and it was Josh Hedges with a sight of goal in the 21st minute, but his low shot went wide of the Farnborough goal.
Farnborough had a good spell of pressure as the half headed before halftime, testing Lincoln on a couple of occasions. The Salisbury stopper produced a great save to push the ball over the bar on the stroke of halftime from a well-struck effort from Chin, who had found space in the box.
The sides went in level at the break, with Farnborough in the ascendency.
It was Salisbury who started the second half on the front foot, and it was Farnborough’s keeper, Jack Turner, who was called into action – producing the save of the match to deny Josh Hedges in the 47th minute.
Hedges was put through on goal after a good combination with Ronan Silva. Hedges looked to curl the ball into the far corner, but Turner got across well and pushed the ball behind for a corner.
Salisbury’s first changes came just before the hour mark, with Noah Coppin and Cameron Coxe coming on to replace Tom Leggett and Ronan Silva.
It only took 10 minutes for the change to pay dividends when Craig Fasanmande’s good determination set up Noah Coppin to open the scoring. Fasanmade’s first effort was blocked, but he headed the ball forward and squared for Coppin to slide the ball home from close range.
Just three minutes later, Salisbury had doubled their lead with a thunderbolt from Callum Watts. The ball came out to the Salisbury midfielder, and after taking two touches, Watts hit a strike that swerved and dipped. The ball was beyond Turner before he was able to react.
The home side then had the chance for a third when Taylor Clark was adjudged to have fouled Coppin in front of the goal as the ball was crossed in. The referee then showed Clark a second yellow card, reducing Farnborough to 10 men.
Noah Coppin picked himself up, stepped up, and struck the ball beyond Turner to bag his second of the game and Salisbury’s third in the 79th minute.
Salisbury saw the game out, with Dan Lincoln and his defenders having an excellent game and repelling everything that Farnborough threw at them.
The win sees Salisbury enter the draw for the third round for the first time. The draw takes place on Monday.
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