DROITWICH Spa suffered an upset defeat in the first round of the FA Vase after losing 2-1 away at Step Six Radford.
Andy Crowther’s side saw their 10-game unbeaten run in all competitions come to an end at Selhurst Street.
A Charlie Tilley strike drew Spa level on the hour mark after Nashien Isman’s early goal put the home side ahead.
However, Fola Fagbemi restored Radford’s lead on 75 minutes to dump Spa out the FA Vase at the first round stage.
Radford play one level below the Saltmen in Division One of the United Counties League.
The Pheasants broke the deadlock after just eight minutes as Isman fired home from close range after Spa failed to clear Takunda Mushambi’s flick on at a corner.
Spa looked to draw level almost straight from the restart as Perry Moss saw his shot deflected wide.
However, Logan Dimmock-Fox spurned a golden chance to double the home side’s lead as he headed wide following a counter attack.
Dimmock-Fox wasted another chance on the half-hour mark as he fired off target when well-placed to test Dom Rogerson in the Spa goal.
Spa saw their appeals for a penalty waved away by the referee later in the half after Jack Brighton’s cross appeared to strike the arm of a Radford player.
Droitwich had chances to draw level before the break as both Tilley and Moss shot over.
However, the first-half ended with both Latrelle Paterson and James Lemon receiving lengthy treatment.
Spa skipper Lemon suffered a blow to the back of the head which later required stitches.
Radford almost doubled their lead when play resumed as Dennan Morgan’s shot across goal hit the post following another counter attack.
Droitwich made a fast start to the second period as Radford goalkeeper Khawer Dantas Abbas twice denied Lewis Phillips and then Reiss Taylor-Randle.
However, Spa eventually equalised on the hour mark when Tilley fired home from the edge of the penalty area.
The goal sparked Radford back into life as Dimmock-Fox saw a chip travel inches over the crossbar before Rogerson tipped the same player’s effort around the post.
Radford made their pressure count with 15 minutes left to play as Fagbemi found the bottom corner from Dimmock-Fox’s header.
The Saltmen came within inches of drawing level late on as Sam Hurdman’s shot came back off the post.
And fellow sub Liam Livesey also went close as his sliding effort went narrowly wide.
Spa continued to search for an equaliser and saw another penalty appeal turned down in injury time after Hurdman beat the offside trap and went down under a challenge in the box.
However, the referee once again waved away Spa’s appeals while Tilley saw his late volley go wide as Spa suffered a frustrating defeat to exit the competition.
Droitwich are next in action against league leaders Roman Glass St George on Saturday, October 25 with kick-off at 3pm at Oaklands Park Stadium.
