After their historic efforts at Vale Park, it was not surprising that there seemed a tired reaction from the home team as they just could not reproduce their incredible cup form in a game played just two days after that epic FA Cup second round tie writes Russell Brown.

In front of the league’s highest gate of the season, even the huge home crowd of 781 fans could not raise what turned out to be a real anti climax of a game which was eventually decided by an opportunist goal from the experienced Mark Owen, on as a second half substitute for the Robins.

Manager Charlie Blakemore made two changes from the Vale game with Paul Spacey coming in at right back and Danny Smith coming in up front to partner Dean Perrow.

The game started well with Spacey volleying wide after a defensive header had dropped nicely for him on the edge of the area, then Lee Evans made a fine save to touch over a rising drive from Danny Scheppel as the Robins move the ball swiftly up field.

The best chance fell to Smith who found the ball at his feet just eight yards out from goal, but he could not get the right contact as he scuffed the ball straight at Nathan Vaughan’s’ shins and the keeper was relieved to gather as the rebound struck his defender and deflected straight back into his arms.

A good move saw Ben Steane’s short pass found Spacey and his cross was whipped into the area to see Craig Holland’s glancing header skim wide of the target.

After such a promising start, there came a period of too many stoppages that broke up the rhythm of the game and that seemed to dampen both sides endeavours. But just before the interval both sides created one good chance apiece as the Scholars saw Steane’s close range shot blocked by Vaughan and at the other end, opposite number Evan’s made a more spectacular save, turning aside another well struck shot from Scheppel.

After Vaughan had got away with fumbling a cross from Spacey, Chasetown made a double substitution bring off both of the forwards that had started the game and went with a Nathan Lamey, Karl Edwards strike partnership.

As the game wore on, the night was strangely lacking in atmosphere as even the huge following could not find it within themselves to lift their heroes and the whole occasion was decidedly flat.

For Chasetown, the effort was there, so too was the wish to play their trademark passing game. What was lacking was the strength as the gargantuan efforts of just over 48 hours ago began to take its toll.

On 64 minutes the decisive moment of the game decided the final outcome as the visitors opened the scoring. Former Worcester City favourite, Owen picked up the ball on the Chasetown left and fired in a low drive from the angle. Keeper Evans must have seen the effort late through a crowded area as the ball skimmed into the corner of the net to be greeted with almost stunned silence from the crowd.

For Chasetown their best chance of an equaliser came when a cross left Vaughan for dead and with Edwards hovering unmarked at the far post he seemed odds on to level the scores, but the forward mystifyingly opted to head the ball back across the goal and the chance was lost.

With United cleverly using every opportunity to run down the clock, it was a frustrating end to a forgettable night for the Scholars who now have to pick themselves up for the trip to Woodford United on Saturday.

Chasetown: Evans, Spacey, M Branch, Slater, Thomas, Williams, Steane, Hawkins (Clamp), D Smith (Lamey), Perrow, Edwards, Holland

Other Subs: J Branch, S Smith (not used)