A second half masterclass from Paul Hughes’ side saw a goalless first half turn into a 5-0 romp as Isthmian Premier side Bognor Regis Town we’re firmly put to the sword.
The gaffer made a single change to the starting XI that had taken maximum points on Tuesday evening with Rico Greco coming in for a first United start with Sanmi Odelusi dropping to the bench.
After fifteen minutes of searching each other out, a chance apiece came within a period of just sixty seconds. Firstly for United, Bay Downing fed the ball in from the right to Dylan Kearney, his shot on the turn being held by Rocks stopper Amadou Tangara. Play instantly switched to the other end with Jordy Mongoy trying to catch Jack Smith off his line, the United stopper doing well to push the ball wide.
This was the start of a good spell for the visitors, Joe Cook rose highest to a corner but his header was off target and two minutes later a cross field pass was collected by Ashton Leigh, his shot was blocked wide by Denzel Williams with the resultant corner being headed wide by Mongoy.
Mongoy almost turned creator in the 27th minute when he collected the ball wide on the right before playing it inside to Will Stone but his shot across the face of the United goal was wide of the far post.
After this purple patch for the Rocks, United started to take control of proceedings, Downing played the ball to Kearney on the edge of the box, the United striker playing a return pass that Tangara grabbed as Downing slid in.
Tangara was to make a fine save after 34 minutes, Jake Sheppard received the ball from Jack Williams, his cross was met by a diving Downing only for the Rocks stopper to dive full length to tip the effort against his post although United may have been denied by an offside flag anyway.
A minute later United had a golden chance to break the deadlock as Francis Amartey won the ball on the right of the visitors area, played it inside to Sheppard who picked out an unmarked Kearney in the centre but he shot over and the half closed out goalless.
The break saw a positional reshuffle along with Kearney being replaced by Karl Cunningham and with this came a United surge with two goals coming in the first six minutes of the half.
Within a minute of the restart Rico Greco received a forward pass, held off a challenge from Ethan Robb and hit a driven shot that was just off target. Two minutes later United were ahead when Keano Robinson got his head to a Scott Donnelly corner, the ball squirming under Tangara into the net.
Number two was only a matter of minutes away, Jack Williams found Amartey in the right channel, his low pull-back being fired home by Greco for his first United goal and Paul Hughes’ side had a foot in the next round.
With United now flying high, a rare chance on the hour for the Rocks saw a free-kick being floated to the far post where Tommy Leigh headed wide without troubling Smith.
Four minutes later a well worked Donnelly corner saw the ball pulled back to Sheppard just outside the box, his goalbound drive was pushed away by Tangara but only to Cunningham who saw his shot fly across the face of goal before being cleared.
Goal three came a minute later, Greco won possession and fed the ball to Amartey, the United striker outpacing his marker before sliding the ball home through Tangara’s legs for his third of the season.
Number four followed soon after, Robinson again got his head to the ball in the middle, this time Tangara made a fine save pushing the ball away to the right only for Greco to collect and smash it home from an acute angle.
Once again though United saved the best for last, on 74 minutes Donnelly received the ball some 40+ yards from goal and seeing Tangara off his line, the United maestro lofted the ball without hesitation over his head into the Rocks net for United’s fifth of the afternoon.
Credit the visitors for not giving up altogether and just minutes after going five behind they created another opening of their own, Alfie Stanley saw his shot deflect wide, the resultant corner being met by Tommy Leigh but again his header failed to trouble Smith.
Two more chances came the way of United before the final whistle, both created by newly signed full-back Jordan Norville-Williams. In the 77th minute his low cross was fired over by Cunningham and in the final minute he collected the ball from Donnelly, exchanged passes with Jamie Hanlon before seeing his shot saved at the foot of the post by Tangara.
So it’s United who progress to Monday’s draw hoping that our fans will be able to support their side on or around Tuesday 13th October.
Report by Kevin Watts.
Photos kindly provided by Lyn Phillips ©
United Man of the Match: Rico Greco.
Print the Teamsheet: Here.
Joe Cook 
