One cup dream ended for Rayners Lane this week but the Tithe Farm club have the chance to get straight back in the hunt for silverware.

A lack of league fixtures and the horrendous weather meant Tuesday night’s 6-2 defeat in the Help for Heroes Middlesex Charity Cup second round against holders Uxbridge was only their second game since December 28.

Perhaps unsurprisingly they were slow to get in gear and were 4-0 down at the break, but in a spirited late rally first substitute Daniel McPherson then Reece Chaudry scored consolations.

So while that avenue is closed, the route to cup glory remains open on two fronts and kicks into gear again in the near future.

Lane veteran Paul Leslie admits things have been tough, but claimed the second half showing at Honeycroft will give the team heart ahead of next Tuesday’s Middlesex Premier Cup quarter-final against Hanworth Villa Reserves.

He said: “Our cup form has been as inconsistent as the league form really, but you have not got ‘next week’ in a cup to put it right.

“Hanworth Villa Reserves should be more our level, so we will go into that game with some confidence from our second-half display and hopefully get a result.”

The Villa match is followed by a BlueFin Challenge Cup third round tie and Tithe Farm boss Mick Bradshaw (pictured) is grateful to have some action outside the Hellenic League to keep his boys ticking over on the fitness front.

He added: “It’s good to have a little run in the cup and it gives us games to play.

“We were talking to clubs about having friendlies because of a lack of games in the league. I was speaking to Danny Edwards at Chalfont because they’re not running a reserve team this year and want games for their fringe players.”

Elsewhere, Combined Counties Premier Division outfit Wembley are still waiting to play their second fixture of the year after their matches with both Badshot Lea and South Park were postponed because of waterlogged pitches.