Bromsgrove Rovers 4 Bourne Town 1

FA Cup pre-qualifying round

DEAN Curtis grabbed a brace as rampant Rovers strolled into the first qualifying round of the FA Cup at the Victoria Ground on Saturday.

Curtis scored twice in the first half to kill off any hopes that Bourne Town had of victory, before Chris Smith and man of the match Matt Johnson hit the back of the net in the second half.

Rovers now face the victors of Newcastle Town or Buxton, who clash in a replay tonight (Wednesday) at home on Saturday, September 10.

Joe Williams made his first start in the Southern League Division One West, slotting in for the injured Ross Collins.

But he and defensive partner Phil Male were hardly troubled by their Lincolnshire opponent's powder-puff attacks.

Captain Steve Hillman set the tone for the home side, when goalkeeper Nick Hurst collected his powerful 25-yard shot in the eighth minute.

Rovers took the lead five minutes later after a slick move. Johnson got free down the right wing and curled in an excellent cross, which Curtis headed home at the far post.

Scott Hadland's tame shot went wide in the 15th minute and Mark Benbow headed wide of the right post from Smith's cross in the 21st minute.

Curtis though added Rovers' second on the stroke of half time. Johnson won a corner on the right in the 46th minute and Kevin Banner sent in an accurate delivery, which Curtis headed past Hurst.

The two-goal striker went off to applause in the 51st minute and was replaced by substitute Leon Mitchell.

Rovers were restricting Bourne to hopeful long shots, but Mark O'Dea wasted their best chance of the game when he blazed over just outside the box.

The home side hit back with a third goal in the 74th minute. Mitchell set Matthew Barnes-Homer free in the box and his low centre was simple for Smith to side foot past Hurst.

The industrious Johnson then lit up the game with a thunderbolt that blazed past the stunned Hurst into the top right corner in the 86th minute.

With a four-goal cushion Rovers relaxed and Cornell Haughton finished from close range in the 89th minute for a consolation goal.

Rovers: Evans 6, JOHNSON 8, Hillman 7 (Dyer, 65mins, 6), Male 6, Williams 6, Hadland 6, Benbow 7 (Barnes-Homer, 58mins, 6) Erraji 6, Curtis 7 (Mitchell, 51mins, 6), Smith 7, Banner 6.

Bourne: Hurst 6, Spafford 5, Eskards 5, O'Dea 5, Franklin 6, Patel 4 (Symonds 58mins, 6), Horksood 5 (Bartle 44mins, 5), Gray 5, Hutchinson 3 (Haughton, 58mins, 7), Mason 5, Smurthsaite 5.

Referee: M R Steans (Loughborough).

Attendance:274.

By Peter McKinney