Abingdon United came to thwart high flying Hungerford Town by defending deep in numbers and break quickly on the counter attack, but it wasn't enough and the U's went down 4-0 on Saturday.
In the first 20 minutes the home side had the territorial advantage but despite getting the ball into the box many times they were unable to create a clear cut chance. United also made little headway against a well drilled side and failed to register a shot on goal.
The first save from either 'keeper came on 25 minutes from a Town free kick with Dean Stow firing in a fierce, rising shot that flew past the wall but James Foster was positioned well and safely took the ball out of the air.
Abingdon got a rare corner and nearly scored as an unmarked Luke Carnell came from deep and put in a powerful header that 'keeper Daniel Lincoln did well to get up to take from the top corner.
Hungerford came back immediately but wasted their chance as they broke down the left but Luke Hopper fired well wide. With five minutes to half time a United free kick was delivered near post and Carnell's flick whizzed by the far post by inches.
But then Abingdon gave away an unnecessary penalty as Hopper was brought down in the corner of the box, and the Hungerford striker got up to send Foster the wrong way from the spot to put the home side 1-0 up. Nicholas Ogbanufe also went close a minute later but his header went across the face of the goal and out.
The second half saw Abingdon push forward more as they came out to match their opponents. Coming down the slope they had plenty of chances but failed to convert any of them. Matthew Biddle was guilty of wasting a good opening when put clear by Carl Evans, but hurriedly shot over by some distance from the edge of the area.
Town came back and Ogbanufe scuffed a chance a couple of feet wide as the game became stretched. The second goal for the home side had some fortunate about it as the ball cannoned out of a challenge to Hopper who had time to race towards goal and slip the ball past Foster.
Great play from Curtis Angell saw him take on four opponents and lay the ball off to Sam Collier but from inside the box he put his effort over. As the game entered the final stages it was Hungerford who looked the most likelier to score again.
The third goal arrived on 81 minutes when Youseff Bamba outpaced the Abingdon defence and crossed for the onrushing Mark Draycott who headed home. And three minutes later Foster parried a shot out to Ogbanufe who drove the ball through a ruck of players and into the net.
