Hardly crashed to another cup defeat after failing to make the most of their chances and then slack marking at the back allowed Eaton Park to pull away late on.
Athletic were without influential goalkeeper Joe Gordon, forcing Dan Buxton to go between the sticks, aswell as top scorer Ash Newman, a late withdrawal with a back injury. Matt Carter(ankle) and long term absentee Dan Middleton(knee) were also missing so Hardly were forced to play with five players and no substitutes.
The game started with the ball flying from end to end, Buxton pulling off a couple of saves at one end whilst smooth, crisp passing at the other end saw all four outfield players have efforts at goal, with the bar and post rattled in the opening stages.
The opposition were ahead by half time though as two strikes late on in the half opened up a lead. First a back heel wrong footed the keeper and then the second, a smart finish just inside the post left the keeper with no chance.
The start of the second half saw the game go very scrappy, with both sides being sloppy with both passing and marking and Hallam pulled a goal back when his shot from distance beat the keeper. The two goal lead was restored when a tiring Athletic were caught at the back and the attacker made no mistake firing past the keeper. More slack marking allowed followed as a fourth was added before Hardly won two penalties in two minutes. The first was dispatched by Cope but the second was well saved by the keeper, who guessed correctly and kicked the ball away.
The crisp, slick passing that had been with Athletic for the majority of the game went late on as fatigue set in and with Hardly searching for a way back into the game two late goals on the counter attack sealed the victory for the team who now top both the cup group and the league.