Petersfield Town 4 Hythe and Dibden 1: Petersfield cruised into the third round of the Hampshire Senior Cup after a comfortable victory over Wessex Division 1 side Hythe and Dibden.

The result was never in doubt after the Rams raced into a 4-0 lead by half time and the only disappointment was that they didn’t go on to add to that tally in the second half.

The home side almost got their noses in front after just two minutes when Petersfield pressed Hythe back on the left and a cross into the near post saw Jordan Neal get in front of his marker and his header flashed across the face of the goal and hit the far post.

The Rams were in front after 11 minutes when Joe Briggs took a corner from the right and his cross found Ryan Woodford completely unmarked inside the six yard box and he sent his free header into the roof of the net.

Hythe had a rare attack on 27 minutes when Nathan Renyard found himself in space on the edge of the penalty area but his first time shot was easily dealt with by keeper Anthony Ender.

Neal went close to scoring again three minutes later when good work down the left saw the ball crossed into the box and his flicked shot went just wide of the far post.

The Rams doubled their advantage on 33 minutes when Briggs played the ball into the box for Jamie Ford to burst on to but after he flicked the ball past keeper Jon Page the Hythe skipper brought the Petersfield defender down and a penalty was awarded. Alek Przespolewski sent Page the wrong way with his spot kick.

It was 3-0 after 40 minutes when a long clearance from Ender bounced past the visiting defence and Briggs confidently latched on to the ball and dispatched it past Page and into the net.

Petersfield’s fourth goal came two minutes later when Harry Wedlake sent in a low cross from the right and Przespolewski beat two defenders to slide the ball home at the near post.

The Rams had a goal disallowed at the start of the second half when Dan Sackman struck the ball home following a corner but the referee judged that Page had been fouled when the initial cross came in.

On 70 minutes Hythe went close to getting on the scoresheet when substitute Jon Brock ran from midfield and unleashed a shot from the edge of the penalty area which skimmed the top of the crossbar.

The home side almost got their fifth goal seven minutes later when a cross came in from the left and Petersfield’s first shot hit a defender on both of his legs before running to Sackman who shot straight at the keeper, who was already sitting on the floor, with the goal at his mercy.

Hythe got a consolation goal with four minutes remaining after a player was brought down on the left hand side of the penalty area. Sean Parker confidently dispatched home his penalty.

The final goalmouth action of the night almost led to Przespolewski completing his hat-trick. Liam Flanighan played a long ball for Mike McEnery to run after and after cutting inside, his cross to the near post was met by Przespoleski bit his flicked header went just wide of the goal.

Petersfield: Ender, O Searle, Flanighan, Woodford (Taylor), Sackman, Ford, Wedlake, Przespolewski, Neal, Briggs (Lowley), Green (McEnery). Subs not used: Wain, Thompson.