WEALDSTONE and Harrow Borough were both dumped out of the FA Cup this week after losing their first qualifying round replays.

Borough crashed out thanks to a last minute strike from visitors Hemel Hempstead while Stones were beaten in an agonising penalty shoot-out at Bedford on Tuesday evening.

Defeat means both miss out on much-needed prize money and home ties in the next round.

Wealdstone, who failed to book a money-spinning home tie with Conference South leaders AFC Wimbledon in the next round, were unable to convert possession into goals.

An early penalty for the home side left Wealdstone with an uphill challenge, but a Ben Clarke strike with 25 minutes left of the 90 took the game into extra time.

Neither side was able to break the deadlock in the additional 30 minutes however and the tie went to a nail-biting shoot-out.

When David Hicks's spot kick hit the bar and Nick Salapatas's was saved, Bedford Town kept their cool to win 4-2 on penalties.

It was a bitter defeat for manager Gordon Bartlett, who said after the game: "Of course it's a bit difficult to take because if either of the games had been a boxing match it would have been stopped.

"Finishing is definitely an area we need to improve on but I have 100 per cent confidence in the strong squad that we have assembled this year.

"They are a young bunch who are probably a bit naive at times but we will bounce back - we have to.

"We have no choice now but to look at the next games and be positive. We've got Hendon on Saturday and having watched them a couple of weeks ago I predict the game will be very entertaining with both sides want

ing to play open and attacking football.

"It would have been a wonderful opportunity to play Wimbledon in the next round but there is nothing we can do about that now. Life goes on and we have to get back to winning football matches and that has to start this weekend against Hendon and on Tuesday against Tooting and Mitcham United."

Harrow dreams of a cup run were also thwarted at the first opportunity as they failed to see off Hemel Hempstead at home.

A mistake from Borough's Andray Baptiste gave the visitors an easy first half chance as they were able to poke the ball home from close range from the rebound.

Jonathan Constant's second-half strike looked set to force extra time but a last gasp counter attack from Hemel proved decisive as the visitors finished 2-1 winners.

Speaking after the game manager David Howell said: "We didn't have the preparation for the tie that I would have liked with some players turning up just before kick-off and it took us too long to get going.

"I would be lying if I said that a cup run wouldn't have been a welcome break because it would have, but we just have to get on with it.

"I recently found out that we haven't won a game at home since March 29 and that is something that we have to try and put right when Maidstone United come here on Saturday.

"We now have to start picking up points in the league."

* Wealdstone visit Hendon on Saturday before entertaining Tooting and Mitcham United at Grosvenor Vale on Tuesday in the Ryman Premier League.

Harrow Borough host Maidstone United on Saturday and travel to Harlow Town on Tuesday, also in the Ryman Premier.