WITH that air of inevitability so common in football, Lee Nogan scored the goal which helped send Quakers crashing out of the FA Cup on Tuesday night.

Nogan, so often the target of abuse from the Feethams crowd during an almost goal-less 15 months at Darlington, was released in October and joined Luton Town.

And in the second round replay at Kenilworth Road, it was Nogan who headed the Hatters into a second-half lead against a disappointing Quakers side.

Paul McLaren wrapped up the game for the home side with a 20-yard strike after 79 minutes.

Quakers never created any clear chances, although top scorer Glenn Naylor saw a volley well saved in the first half.

Worryingly for manager Gary Bennett, with the busy Christmas programme ahead, star defender Craig Liddle and striker Kevin Kyle both had to go off injured.

On Saturday, Quakers lost their sixth league game out of seven when they went down to a late goal at Leyton Orient. The defeat meant Bennett's side slipped to 17th in the Nationwide Third Division.

Quakers gave a doughty defensive display against Orient, unbeaten in the league at home, but, as so often recently, lacked any drive and invention up front.

Kyle missed two reasonable chances, while new signing David McMahon, a 19-year-old on loan for the rest of the season from Newcastle United, came on for the last half-hour but failed to make his mark.

The only goal came seven minutes from time when Scott Houghton hit a superb 25-yard shot past Andy Collett.

Tomorrow, Quakers are at home to Lincoln City, while on Boxing Day they travel to high-flying Chesterfield.