DEFENDING champions Droitwich Spa booked a Worcestershire FA Saturday Junior Cup quarter-final at Welland after brushing aside Fairfield Villa 5-0 in the first round.

Spa take on the Cheltenham League side in a repeat of last season’s semi-final on Saturday, October 29 (2.30pm kick-off).

They produced a much-improved display against their out-of-sorts Midland League Division Two rivals after a 1-0 home defeat to struggling Bloxwich United the previous weekend.

The Saltmen burst out of the blocks early on with quick, flowing passing moves.

Chances were created for both Nick Seabourne and James Lemon, forcing a smart save from Villa keeper Chris Mole.

From the resulting corner, Max Crisp rose highest to head home a pin-point corner from Jamie Smith in the seventh minute.

The game turned into a scrappy midfield battle and the visitors should have equalised when Louis Smith’s free header from close range missed the target.

Spa keeper Matt Oliver pulled off a smart save to deny Ellis Blakemore but that was as good as it got for a lacklustre Villa side.

Bradley Burgess and Haydn Morris were given starting places for Droitwich and caused problems down both flanks.

Morris doubled the Saltmen’s lead on 38 minutes with an eight-yard volley after Jack Brighton’s cross from the right was flicked on by Lemon.

A few minutes later, an excellent move involving Crisp, Burgess and Lemon culminated in the front man being brought down in the box.

Lemon confidently despatched the penalty low to the keeper’s left for a 3-0 half-time lead.

Fairfield had more of the ball in the second half but could not force any major chances as Matt Hunt and Andy Crowther kept Connor Collins in check.

Droitwich were strong in the middle with Crisp and unsung hero Graeme Pardoe forming a good partnership.

Crisp went close with a shot from distance as did Burgess and Lemon.

Burgess had an excellent chance to extend the lead after good work from Crisp and Seabourne but he shot high and wide from close range.

Moments later, he made amends though with Seabourne’s cushioned header putting him through one-on-one and his delicate chip over Mole ended up in the top corner.

Burgess’s corner was then met by James Ward and his header was bound for the bottom corner but Hunt made sure to give Spa a convincing victory.

They visit Feckenham in the President’s Cup first round on Saturday (3pm kick-off).