Eastbourne Borough's noble FA Cup adventure drew to a close last night but they bowed out of the competition with their heads held high.

Garry Wilson's part-timers threw everything they had at Oxford United but it just was not their night as the League Two outfit ran out winners.

Steve Basham's hat-trick proved to be the difference between the sides in a pulsating first round replay but it could have been a different story had Borough enjoyed a little more luck in front of goal.

The Conference South side hit the woodwork twice, had four shots cleared off the line and a strong penalty appeal turned down to give more than 700 travelling fans plenty to get excited about at the Kassam Stadium.

Wilson said: "I think the scoreline was a bit harsh. Maybe we didn't deserve to win but we certainly deserved a goal or two.

"Sometimes the ball just won't go in for you and that has been the story of our season a little bit. But we kept plugging away and I am very proud of the way the boys performed.

"We came here not to stifle the game but to attack them and I think we did that, though the only disappointing thing was the result.

"Maybe if one of our chances had gone in then we might have caused them a few worries but we have enjoyed our run in the Cup and now it is back to the reality of the League."

Wilson was given a boost prior to kick-off as Phil Warner and Ben Austin both passed late fitness tests to take their place in the Borough defence.

As a result, there was only one change to the starting line-up which held Oxford to a 1-1 draw in the initial tie as Yemi Odubade replaced Dan Marney up front.

Bashed by Steve and the crossbar The task facing Borough was highlighted by the fact Brian Talbot felt able to drop Lee Bradbury, who has commanded transfer fees in excess of £4.5 million during his career, to the bench, with Wales International striker Craig Davies taking his place.

The only other change from the first game was the return of Chris Hackett in place of Jon Ashton.

The teams might have been similar to the first encounter but the opening 45 minutes certainly were not as chances came thick and fast.

Odubade was causing the home defence all kinds of problems with his pace and carved out three clear chances within the opening quarter of an hour.

First he got to Warner's through ball ahead of Billy Turley but Ollie Rowland failed to hit the target when the Oxford keeper was standing outside his area and then Odubade cleverly flicked the ball over the head of Leo Roget but his volley dipped just over the bar.

Borough's best opportunity arrived in the 14th minute and they will still be wondering how they did not score.

Odubade's cross was headed against the bar by Scott Ramsay and, when the ball fell to Dean Cox, his venomous shot was somehow saved by Turley at point-blank range.

The ball then broke loose to Matt Smart whose shot looked destined for the back of the net only to be blocked on the line by Chris Wilmott.

Although Borough were looking dangerous going forward they were struggling to cope with wave after wave of attacks at the other end.

Chris Hargreaves blasted over when well-placed after just four minutes, Lee Hook saved well from Steve Basham and Stuart Tuck cleared off the line from Eric Sabin before the pressure finally told on 20 minutes.

Smart was caught in possession in opposition territory allowing Oxford to launch a swift counter-attack which resulted in Basham finding himself in space on the edge of the area to place a low shot just inside Hook's far post.

It was only Oxford's fourth goal in nine matches and you could see the confidence return to the home side as they immediately went on the hunt for a second.

Cox blocked Davies's goalbound shot, Ramsay headed a cross on to his own bar and then Warner did brilliantly to get back and clear off the line from Sabin after Borough had been opened up by a clever one-twobetween Lee Mansell and Basham.

Odubade still represented Borough's best way back into the game and he so nearly delivered twice inside a minute just after the half-hour.

The former Yeovil striker first set up Cox, whose shot was superbly turned over the bar by Turley, and then the Oxford keeper had to race from his goal to smother as Odubade ran through.

Despite all their near misses Borough would probably have been satisfied to go in just one down at the break.

Instead, they fell further behind in first-half injury time.

Barry Quinn flighted a perfect cross to the far post and Basham sent a diving header fizzing past Hook to leave Borough with a mountain to climb.

Wilson made a double substitution at half time with Kevin Hemsley and Danny Simmonds replacing Tuck and Smart.

The switch saw Rowland move into the centre of midfield and Cox go to the left and the on-loan Albion midfielder almost got Borough back into the game in the 54th minute when his shot was deflected on to the bar.

You began to get the feeling it was not going to be Borough's night a minute later when Andy Atkin and then Cox had shots cleared off the line following more magic from the magnificent Odubade.

That feeling grew eight minutes later when Odubade was sent sprawling in the area under Mansell's challenge but referee Mike Russell, who awarded a last-minute penalty in the first match at Priory Lane, this time waved away shouts for a spot kick.

Borough kept plugging away and deserved the goal for their efforts but it was not to be and Basham gave the scoreline a flattering look for the home side when he completed his hattrick from the penalty spot in injury time after Warner had brought Hackett down in the area.

Oxford Utd (4-4-2): Turley, Mansell, Willmott, Roget (Stirling 57), Robinson, Hackett, Hargreaves, Quinn, Sabin, Davies (Bradbury 74), Basham.

Unused subs: Tardiff, Bradbury, Stirling.

Eastbourne Borough (4-4-2): Hook 7, Austin 6, Baker 7, Warner 7, Tuck 6 (Hemsley 45 7), Cox 8, Atkin 7, Smart 6 (Simmonds 45 7), Ollie Rowland 7, Ramsay 7 (Marney 74), Odubade 9.

Unused subs: Piper, Barton.

Man-of-the-match: Odubade (Borough).