SALISBURY City enter the FA Cup at the fourth qualifying round on Saturday with a testing game at Southern Premier League side Farnborough.

The Whites will be looking to shake off their first defeat in six games, which came at Stevenage Borough at the weekend.

They went a goal down just before half time, and although substitute Chris Flood levelled with his first touch after the break, former City striker Charlie Griffin made it 2-1 and Borough added another late on.

“Stevenage are a strong outfit and we didn’t quite have enough to see them off their threat for as long as we would have liked,” said Widdrington.

“If we had gone into half time all square, Stevenage would have had to change it and regroup.

“And they were about to take Griffin off before he scored, because we were in the ascendency after our goal.”

With Ryan Tafazolli suspended, and Ben Osman, Grant Porter and Dan Spence leaving the club recently, Widdrington’s resources were stretched to such an extent that he could only name four substitutes on the bench.

“Looking over to the Stevenage bench on Saturday, those players would get in most Blue Square Premier sides,” said the manager.

“I have worked with the players for the best part of three months now and it would be great to have the opportunity to add to it.

“They need a rest at times, because I remember when I was 19 to 20 and you are a long way off playing 46 league games a season at that age.”

Fortunately Queens Park Rangers have allowed loanees Lee Brown and Joe Oastler to play in the cup, and Southampton have done the same for Tafazolli.

“We would be in trouble if we took those three players out, so it’s imperative we have them and I’m delighted that their clubs have allowed them to play,” said Widdrington.

“Farnborough are still unbeaten and they probably have a bigger budget than us so it’s probably not as much of a foregone conclusion as people might think.”

Bradley Gray could also feature after coming through the reserves' 2-0 defeat at Forest Green Rovers on Monday.

The draw for the first round of the FA Cup will be televised live on ITV1 at 1pm on Sunday.