PAULTON Rovers swept into the second round of the Les Phillips Cup after a comfortable 3-0 home win over Warminster Town in midweek.

Rovers went into this game as favourites and right from the off looked like the team more likely to open the scoring. As early as the second minute Dan McBeam, back after several weeks out, threaded a neat through-ball to Kyle Witt who carried on into the box and hit a shot from a tight angle that just passed the far post.

This was followed moments later when McBeam hit a cross from the right that found Alex Hallett at the far post. He steered it goalwards from the tight angle but the ball was cleared off the line. After the frantic start the game settled as Warminster began to stifle some of Rovers’ attacks. However, this meant they were barely able to lay a glove on Rovers themselves but did force a corner that needed to be defended.

In the 23rd minute, the lively McBeam swung in another cross that found Kyle Witt at the far post but his header clattered against the post and two minutes later, Kitan Jaiyeoba picked up the ball and lashed a shot just wide of the upright.

Rovers were in almost total control against the lower league opposition and came close again in the 40th minute when Joel Smedley threaded a ball to Kyle Witt and his cross was met by Jaiyeoba but his header looped up over the bar.

Following what appeared to be a handbags moment, Tom Bradley was sin-binned for voicing his opinion of the event. This allowed Warminster to get their first real shot in that Sam Jepson was able to comfortably push away.

At the end of the half, the hosts should have had a comfortable lead and needed to be more clinical in the second half.

Much like the first half, Rovers created two early chances when Kyle Witt's freekick had to be defended and Witt came close himself when substitute Kailan Gould crossed into the box but Witt just failed to connect from a yard out.

The breakthrough finally came in the 64th minute when Kailan Gould crossed again, this time from the right finding Kitan Jaiyeoba at the far post. He slipped as he shaped to shoot but was still able to poke the ball back to the waiting Wayne Nderemani to fire in.

It only took two minutes to double the lead. Gould pressed the Warminster midfield into a mistake and he found Jaiyeoba who crossed from the right to an unmarked Kyle Witt who was able to tap in from a yard out.

With Warminster struggling to cope at the back and offering little going forward it seemed just a matter of time before the third was added. It came in the 75th minute when Wayne Nderemani picked up a pass from the back, his first touch brilliantly took him away from a tackle and he moved towards the box. He was held up by two defenders but managed to hold the ball before it was finally wrestled from him but only as far as Alfie Kelleher who moved into the box and struck home from a tight angle.

It was his first goal for the senior team after making the step up from the U18s.

Jon Green