Farnham Town exited the FA Trophy with a 2-1 defeat at home to Southern League Division One Central outfit Flackwell Heath in the first qualifying round.

Harry Cooksley’s 36th-minute goal gave Farnham a half-time lead at The Memorial Ground, but second-half goals from Michael Harding and Wiktor Makowski sent the visitors through to the second qualifying round.

Owen Dean had Farnham’s first chance of the afternoon in the seventh minute when his shot was tipped behind for a corner by Flackwell Heath keeper Carl Dennison.

The visitors nearly took the lead four minutes later when Harding worked half a yard of space inside the box and hit his shot into the side netting at the near post.

Joe Jackson was next to go close for Town on 13 minutes, but his shot from a tight angle went just over the bar.

The visitors had a good chance to take the lead in the 25th minute when Makowski worked a yard of space on the edge of the box and hit his shot just wide of the right-hand post.

Makowski had another attempt four minutes later from the edge of the box which again went just wide of Pat Nash’s goal.

The visitors went close again on 35 minutes when Harding picked out Matthew Ayres on the edge of the box, but his shot was comfortably held by Nash.

It was Town who made the breakthrough a minute later when a long ball fell nicely for Cooksley, who took a touch before confidently drilling his shot past Dennison.

The hosts nearly doubled their advantage in the 39th minute when Shay Brennan’s effort went just wide of the far post.

Farnham went close again on 41 minutes when Cooksley’s ball picked out Flatman on the left, and his effort was deflected behind for a corner.

Flatman played the resulting corner to Cooksley on the edge of the box, and his effort went just over the bar.

Farnham started the second half brightly and nearly doubled their advantage in the 47th minute when Brennan’s left-foot shot was parried away by Dennison.

The visitors equalised three minutes later when they broke clear down the right wing and squared the ball across goal to Harding, who confidently fired home.

Town went close to regaining the lead on 64 minutes when Adam Liddle’s cross to the back post picked out Flatman, but his shot was blocked for a corner.

The visitors nearly took the lead eight minutes later when Harding worked some space in the box and his shot was blocked by Nash and hit the crossbar before Town cleared the loose ball.

Flackwell Heath took the lead in the 74th minute when Harding broke clear down the right and rolled a neat ball inside to Makowski, who picked out the bottom left-hand corner.

Farnham responded with a double substitution, with Darryl Sanders and Joel Rollinson replacing Flatman and Richie Mbele, although Flatman was sent off for touching the assistant referee after leaving the pitch.

The visitors nearly went 3-1 ahead on 77 minutes when Harding again caused problems and picked out Jack Shakespeare, whose shot was superbly tipped behind for a corner by Nash.

Farnham almost equalised two minutes later when Rollinson’s excellent cross picked out Brennan in the box, who headed just wide.

Town went desperately close to equalising in the 86th minute when Max Meaton’s cross picked out Brennan in the box, but his header hit the post. The loose ball fell to Liddle, who fired over from a tight angle.

Farnham hit the woodwork again in stoppage time when Cooksley’s corner picked out Jack Dean, and his header hit the post.