Torquay United 2 Oxford United 0

Oxford crashed out of the FA Cup this afternoon at a bleak Plainmoor, despite Torquay being reduced to ten men for the whole second half after Roscoe D'Sane was sent off in first-half injury time. Both Torquay's goals were scored by substitute Elliot Benyon, one in each half, to effectively end United's season early.

Oxford started the game much brighter than their hosts, and Eddie Hutchinson and James Constable both went close to breaking the deadlock in the first six minutes. Chris Carruthers forced Scott Bevan into a smart save, and Bevan just beat Constable to the ball in a one-on-one. With 36 minutes gone, Torquay boss Paul Buckle made his match-winning substitution, bringing on Benyon for Tyrone Thompson. Five minutes later Benyon gave Torquay the lead as he fired home a Tim Sills flick-on from a long throw-in. This was the home side's first attempt on goal. Then, in first-half stoppage time, a scuffle between Billy Turley and D'Sane ended with the latter slapping the former and receiving his marching orders.

Matt Day forced Bevan into a save from a long-range shot at the start of the second half, but that aside the full-strength United failed to ask too many questions of the depleted home side. Torquay held their back line well, and as United huffed and puffed the frustration started to show, with silly fouls and misplaced passes. Eventually the home side caught United on the break, as Benyon converted a Lee Mansell cross to put the game, the third round, and the prize money beyond the Yellows' reach.

Despite anxious reports of viruses and injuries, Darren Patterson named the same starting line-up that beat Kidderminster Harriers on Tuesday night. The first substitution took place on the hour, when Matty Taylor came on for the surprisingly half-decent Lewis Haldane. In the 73rd minute Richard Groves came on for James Clarke as United tried a more attacking formation, alas to no avail.

Today's attendance was 2,647. The referee was R East, last in charge of an Oxford match when he officiated the Us' 2-0 win at St Albans in April 2007. As well as dismissing D'Sane, he booked Turley in the same incident, while Clarke and Day also both saw yellow.

Other Conference clubs had a mixed bag in the FA Cup today. Grays Athletic lost their delayed first round replay 2-0 at home to Carlisle United, while in the second round Forest Green Rovers beat Rochdale 2-0, and Kidderminster Harriers beat Curzon Ashton by the same score. In last night's second round game, Barrow beat Andy Scott's Brentford 2-1.

Following today's Conference games Oxford have slipped back down to 16th after Salisbury City and York City drew 1-1 for both teams to leap-frog the Yellows. Northwich Victoria stayed third from bottom after losing 1-0 at home to Crawley, who are now sixth, while Eastbourne Borough are 19th after going down 2-0 at Burton Albion, who have gone top. Mansfield Town, who Oxford face on Thursday, have climbed one place to 18th after drawing 1-1 at Weymouth. Ebbsfleet United stay 13th after losing 1-0 at fourth-placed Cambridge United. Altrincham have dropped to 12th after losing 4-0 at home to Rushden & Diamonds, for whom Andy Burgess scored twice, while Stevenage Borough climbed above Alty on goal difference, despite losing 2-1 at home to Wrexham, for whom Jefferson Louis opened the scoring.[@news]2416[/@news][@opponent]torquay united[/@opponent]