BASINGSTOKE Town gave League Two Cambridge United a fright, before their plucky display saw them bow out of the FA Cup beaten 1-0 at the Abbey Stadium.

Town boss Jason Bristow kept faith with the starting XI which booked the Dragons a place in the first round, but it was the home side who started the better.

Top scorer Barry Corr’s delightful chip just sailed over the bar and then on 19 minutes the Us took the lead.

A corner was only half cleared out to the right wing and Harrison Dunk’s cross back into the danger area was met at the back post by Jeff Hughes’ head.

After this Cambridge really went on the offensive and a minute later, the outstanding Aaron Howe made a great save to keep out Robbie Simpson’s effort.

A double stop followed soon after, from both Corr and Simpson and then Simpson headed over at the back post.

The same player was then denied by Howe as he shot on the turn in the area.

At this point the visitors seem to have no answer to the Cambridge forward runs and it looked only to be a matter of time until the home side would get a second.

However, the tide turned and from the half hour mark, the visitors shaded the rest of the game and really deserved an equaliser.

An excellent move involving the lively Louie Soares and Tom Bird saw Chris Flood just fail to get on the end of it.

Shaun McAuley then was just unable to get on the end of Flood’s cross, while Harrison Dunk tested Howe at the other end.

The visitors so nearly equalised four minutes before the break, when McAuley’s shot came back off the Cambridge goalie Chris Dunn and he did well to push the ball off the toes of Harrison Gilkes.

Then right at the death of the half, Soares fizzed a free-kick just wide of the upright.

After the break, the visitors had the slight edge, but it was the home side who nearly added a second from sub Rory Gaffney, but Howe produced another great save.

Town were next to go close as sub and former Cambridge United striker Liam Enver-Marum’s long range effort hit the base of the post.

Another Basingstoke sub Lloyd Macklin used his pace to earn a free-kick, which saw Soares’ effort take a deflection and Will Salmon headed just over.

Enver-Marum then put the ball in the net seven minutes from time with a low shot, but the goal was disallowed for a tame foul.

Then just after the 90 minute mark, Cambridge goalkeeper Dunn produced a point blank save to deny Town skipper David Ray from Bird’s free-kick.

This was the final chance of the game as Cambridge held on and will they will now be in the hat for the second round draw tomorrow evening.

Next for the Dragons is a trip to Concord Rangers on Saturday in the National League South.

Cambridge United: Dunn, Omozusi (sub Demetriou 76 min), Taylor, Roberts, Donaldson, Berry, Corr, Dunk, Sesay, Simpson (sub Gaffney 62 min), Hughes (sub Newton 71 min). Subs (not used): Beasant, Legge, Slew.

Basingstoke: Howe, Salmon, Bird, Harper, Gasson, Ray, Soares, Southam, McAuley (sub Enver-Marum 65 min), Flood, Gilkes (sub Macklin 66 min). Subs (not used): Williams, Dunn, Smart, Rice, Smalley.

Att 2,974 Gazette Star Man – Aaron Howe – made some superb saves to keep his side in the contest.