The first of December saw KIKK United's historic venture into the first round proper of the FA Cup end with a 2-1 defeat to an experienced C+K Basildon team. The team got off to a nervy start against the South-East Combination leaders but after a couple of early chances, settled down and had the better of the play for the latter part of the first half albeit without breaking Basildon down too often. In the second half, KIKK continued to have good possession and shade control of the game but the work-rate was taking a toll. On 70 minutes, Basildon took the lead from a quickly-taken free-kick and shortly afterwards, when KIKK were reduced to ten after a draconian second yellow card for dissent, it looked ominous. Basildon then went 2-0 ahead with a fierce strike from Amy Nash after a half-cleared cross but KIKK were still battling and Sophie M's alert turn and finish looked to have brought the team back into it for the last ten only for it to be chalked off for off-side. A thunderous header from Basildon's centre-half, Claire Lacey, then seemed to have put the tie to bed only for this too to be disallowed, this time for an alleged push. The game was now an end-to-end affair with the ten trying to pull themselves back from the brink and piling forward. In injury time, Sophie L cut inside her full-back and let fly with a great left-foot strike to make it 1-2 but there was only just time for one aborted attack before the ref ended it. KIKK can justifiably be proud of their Cup run and matched a tough opponent in a game that could have gone either way - the dreams of further FA Cup exploits will have to wait till 2014-15 though now ...

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