NON-LEAGUE heroes Salisbury City strode off the hallowed turf of Hillsborough to a standing ovation yesterday as their FA Cup bubble was finally burst by fallen giants Sheffield Wednesday.

The 4-0 margin of defeat was a touch disappointing for Whites' 1,500-strong army of fans, but then things didn't exactly go to plan on City's weekend away in the north of England.

Manager Nick Holmes, a Saints FA Cup winner of '76, had hoped to rekindle old memories by taking his squad on a trip to the Reebok Stadium on Saturday to watch Saints do battle with Bolton in the Premiership.

That expedition came to grief when they were diverted off the motorway six miles outside Bolton and the players whiled away the afternoon playing cards on the team coach, which turned back to their Rotherham hotel because of heavy traffic.

Salisbury's other pre-match setback concerned the card school's newest recruit, Craig Davis, the Whites' record £15,000 signing from Bashley.

The 22-year-old from West End, Southampton, was all set to make his debut on one of English football's grandest stages until City - docked league points for an administrative error last season - discovered he was ineligible to play because they had failed to register him with the FA.

Davis was consigned to an afternoon on the sidelines but, arguably, there was little he could have done to stop Wednesday progressing to the second round.

The natives have been growing increasingly restless at Hillsborough and defeat at the hands of the Dr Martens Eastern Division underdogs didn't bear thinking about for Chris Turner's under-fire troops, who are labouring in mid-table in the Nationwide Division 2.

Wednesday's biggest failing has been their inability to convert chances but, alas for Salisbury, the Owls chose this, of all days, to rediscover their scoring touch - led by hat-trick man Adam Proudlock.

City - rocked by early goals from Havant & Waterlooville and Lymington & New Milton in previous rounds - were determined not to fall for another sucker punch this time.

Starting much the livelier side, they conjured up two quick corners, a testing Scott Bartlett cross and a Wayne Turk effort from the edge of the box.

Lloyd Owusu and Robbie Mustoe hit back for Wednesday, but it wasn't until the 16th minute that the Owls seriously threatened when 'keeper Kevin Sawyer stood up well to thwart Jon Beswetherick as he bore down on goal.

Two minutes later Sawyer's opposite number Kevin Pressman pulled off the save of the match following a moment of inspiration from Salisbury's leading scorer Steve Strong.

Dispossessing Wednesday skipper Dean Smith, Strong spotted Pressman off his line and tried a cheeky chip from 20 yards, which the backpedalling veteran 'keeper tipped over at full stretch.

Having whet the appetite of the Wiltshire fans looking down from the top tier of the West Stand, Salisbury came close to embarrassing Wednesday again. Sawyer launched a massive kick upfield which ex-Saint Adam Wallace brought down with all the precision of a professional before swerving outside defender Leigh Bromby and unleashing a venomous, low drive which Pressman fended off for a corner.

Sawyer then saved smartly to his right from Owusu but, four minutes later, the big City number one flapped at Derek Geary's cross and, amid the panic, Josh Thomas felled Proudlock.

The former Wolves man got up to convert the penalty and, within two minutes of the second half, Proudlock was celebrating again after finishing off a slick passing move involving Owusu and Michael Reddy.

Their half-time strategy down the pan, Salisbury began to lose their way and, barring a couple of crosses from Strong and Wayne Turk, they failed to trouble Pressman.

At the other end, Wednesday were winding up the pressure and, when a Salisbury attack broke down, Graeme Lee's raking cross looked to have eluded everyone until Proudlock stepped in to rattle home his third off the underside of the bar.

Proudlock exited to a standing ovation after 65 minutes, but City soon succumbed again when former Brentford man Owusu curled a great strike into the corner from the edge of the box.

Still Sheffield poured forward, with Sawyer tipping over from substitute Jon Shaw before Beswetherick's long-range effort clattered the woodwork.

By now the game was up for Salisbury, but their never-say-die supporters were determined to come out winners.

With the seconds ticking down and defeat imminent, they wiped the smile of the face of Wednesday's relieved fans with the most hurtful chant of all - "Sheffield United!"