A THREADBARE Ellingham & Ringwood side were beaten 28-20 at Farnborough in the Hampshire Plate quarter-finals.
The Es were short of a number of influential first XV players due to injury but a mixture of first, second and third-team players put up a valiant fight.
Farnborough started well and scored two early tries, adding two first-half penalties.
But inexperienced Ellingham stuck to their task and were rewarded with a try from flanker Jack White which was converted by scrum-half Josh Butcher.
In the second half, the Es clawed their way back into the game. White grabbed his second try and Butcher kicked the conversion as well as two penalties.
But Farnborough scored a further try and added the conversion, closing out victory to earn progress to the semi-finals.
Es coach Alan Steel said: “This was a very disappointing result as it was a game we really should have won.
"We knocked Farnborough out of this cup last season and earlier in the season comfortably won a league game 26-15 at their ground. But on Saturday they deserved their win.
“We’re now out of both cups so it’s important for us to focus on our league campaign and we’re looking forward to playing Sandown & Shanklin at home on Saturday."
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