COMEBACK kid Stuart Rudd gave FC United a taste of what they've been missing as he climbed off the subs' bench to fire them into the UniBond President's Cup quarter-finals.

Rudd showed he's not lost his scoring touch during a long injury absence by latching on to Rory Patterson's cross to net an 82nd minute winner against Rossendale.

Patterson had earlier broke the deadlock with a clever 55th minute lob over the advancing Lee Bracey and, though Matt Edgington pulled a goal back after Rudd had made it 2-0, the rebel Reds held on to book a last-eight trip to Nantwich.

Salford City's dreams of FA Vase glory were shattered as they crashed 3-1 in their delayed fourth-round clash at Coventry Sphinx. The Moor Lane outfit slipped two goals behind despite dominating early on.

And, though Tommy Turner pulled one back with 20 minutes remaining, turning in Lathan Forrester's cross, Salford's hopes of forcing extra-time were dashed when Sphinx struck again on the break to send them spinning out.

Key action in the UniBond premier saw runaway pacesetters Witton Albion have their lead reduced to 10 points as they were held 2-2 at Hednesford, while Ashton United's 1-1 draw with visiting Stamford does little to ease the spectre of relegation.